Sgt. Stanley Lee DeWitt laid to rest in Royal Center

Oct. 25—At the head of U.S. Army Sgt. Stanley Lee DeWitt's coffin, there was a flag and a dress green uniform, both folded ceremoniously, as "Back Home in Indiana" by Rosemary Clooney and "There She Stands" by Michael W. Smith played during his wake at Fisher Funeral Chapel.

Before Saturday's visitation and service, the Army also presented Sgt. DeWitt's family with the medals for his service to the country more than 71 years ago.

He lost his life on Dec. 6, 1950, at the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea and was later declared missing in action.

After the service, a procession took DeWitt's remains to Royal Centre Cemetery outside Royal Center and buried him near his parents, finally bringing him home after more than seven decades.

Then the Pioneer Regional School Board and officials presented the family with a diploma for Sgt. DeWitt, who had dropped out of school two weeks after he turned 17 to enlist in the Army on Jan. 17, 1949, before the Korean conflict began.

Eddie DeWitt Sr. said that Raymond DeWitt — his father and Sgt. DeWitt's brother — is likely at peace after this ceremony.

Raymond DeWitt had long researched and worked for the return of Sgt. DeWitt's remains and was one of the brothers — along with Charles "Mickey" DeWitt — who gave the DNA samples that eventually allowed the Army to identify the remains.

Sgt. DeWitt's remains were one of 55 killed in North Korea that were returned after a 2018 summit between then-President Donald J. Trump and D.P.R.K. (North Korea) Chairman Kim Jong-un.

Just before Saturday's services, Eddie DeWitt Sr., his cousin Jerry Reynolds and his son Eddie DeWitt Jr. said that they were seeing relatives that they haven't seen in years or hadn't met before, and everything went well.

Funeral Director Dawn Fisher recognized that when she began the services.

"Isn't it amazing that someone who died 71 years ago has such an impact on his future relations," Fisher said. "You are related to a hero. Never forget that."

More than 100 people attended the wake and service before some made the journey to the cemetery, led by the Patriot Guard and Rolling Thunder on motorcycles.

Eddie DeWitt Sr. said that there had been a dilemma about the cemetery at first because there were no plots left, but the proctor, Kyle Rans, found some empty plots owned by the Peters family.

The father had willed empty plots to his children, and when Sgt. DeWitt's family offered to buy one near Sgt. DeWitt's parents, George Raymond DeWitt and Hazel Katherine DeWitt, the Peters family graciously donated a plot, said Eddie DeWitt Sr.

The services at Fisher started with Dawn Fisher reading "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak" by poet Archibald MacLeish.

She recalled how she first became acquainted with Sgt. DeWitt during a video about military members who gave their lives and how the two brothers gave their DNA in hope 20 years ago.

She described Sgt. DeWitt's remains coming home from DNA testing in Honolulu to Texas to Indianapolis, then traveling up I-465 closed to Logansport, all during it a casualty service officer beside the remains.

Farmers in the fields and truckers and drivers in the other lanes stopped and showed respects, and in Logansport, the family of Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, who lost his life in Afghanistan in August, was along the route showing support.

As that procession passed a daycare, the kids were out waving flags and with hands over their hearts, Fisher said.

The Rev. Carolyn DeWitt, married to Sgt. DeWitt's cousin Wendell DeWitt, started the religious part of the service quoting from Matthew 11:28-30, where God calls those who are weary and burdened.

Sgt. DeWitt, in war, carried a burden, she said.

Fisher had gone over accounts of his bravery as a medic, rushing out to help the wounded.

Rev. DeWitt said, "Our savior identifies with that selfless act."

Soldiers are mentioned often in the scriptures and "I believe God has a special place in his heart for soldiers," she said.

From the funeral home, the procession went through Logansport streets lined with people showing their respects and passed under a large garrison flag held by an aerial ladder fire truck above the intersection of Second Street and Eel River Avenue.

One woman paying respects held a handmade sign that stated "Sgt. DeWitt gave all," and the people paying respect lined the streets and Indiana 35 all through the journey to the cemetery.

Sgt. DeWitt's remains were brought into the cemetery from a nearby farm house by a hearse wagon led by one black horse and drawn by two black horses.

That procession was led by a soldier playing a bass drum whose solemn, slow beats resounded across the Hoosier farm fields.

During the ceremony, Reynolds, as Sgt. DeWitt's closest surviving relative, was presented with the ceremoniously folded flag that soldiers had taken off the coffin during the ceremony.

Although no political dignitaries showed, the family received a letter from Sen. Todd Young (R, Indiana).

Eddie DeWitt Sr. said that given Young's service, "I appreciate that from him."

Reach James D. Wolf Jr. at james.wolf@pharostribune.com or 574-732-5117

Twitter @JamesDWolfJr