From staff reports
In conjunction with Flag Day, Huff-Guthrie Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc. of Franklin is operating a Retire Your Flag with Honor program in Franklin and Venango County.
The United States Flag Code states: “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
When cremating veterans, the funeral home serves each one with an old “retired flag” that covers them like a blanket. Huff-Guthrie says it gives the old “tattered” flag one more patriotic duty to perform and it provides an extra level of honor to our deceased veteran.
We “harvest” one star from the union of that flag and it is presented to the widow, child or any significant person as part of the official cremation certificate, the funeral home said.
The program is offered as part of the Veterans Funeral Care Network. The funeral home’s staff has taken special training by Jim Rudolph, of Veterans Funeral Care, on how to serve veterans and their families.
There are currently 30 funeral homes across the country that are Veterans Funeral Care providers, according to Huff-Guthrie.
