500 people show up for unaccompanied veteran’s funeral, shocking organizers

MOLINE, Ill. (KWQC/Gray News) – Hundreds of people showed up to the burial of an unaccompanied veteran on Thursday.

An unaccompanied veteran is one who has no known family or next of kin.

The burial of David Craig Yoder, 64, was held at Rock Island National Cemetery, located in Illinois along the Iowa border.

Yoder was born on May 29, 1959, and died on Feb. 2, 2023. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1976 to 1979, and his rank was Private First Class.

Organizers believe about 500 people showed up for the burial, which was a welcomed surprise.

Foster Cremation Services owner and retired veteran Bryan Foster said he nearly shed a tear at seeing the massive turnout.

“I thought we would probably have 25 people, but to have this many people show up for this celebration for Yoder, it was an honor,” Foster said.

Rock Island National Cemetery was established in 1863. Today, it is the final resting place of veterans who served in the Civil War, Mexican War, Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq.

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