Marshal's Office, Funeral Home Help Provide Final Resting Place For Marine

WOODSTOCK, GA -- A local funeral home is footing the bill to bury the remains of a deceased United States Marine who served in Vietnam.

Poole Funeral Home & Cremation Services is organizing the service for Charles Dean Hughes, which will be held at noon Wednesday, Jan. 4 at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton.

The quest to provide the former service member a final resting spot began on Dec. 8 when the Cherokee Marshal's Office was contacted by Jim Lindenmayer, a member of Canton-based American Legion Post 45.

Lindenmayer, who came into possession of the Marine's remains, said he had been trying for months to locate Hughes' next of kin. He told the marshal's office he was contacted by a local storage company when the renter failed to pay her bill and the contents of the unit were removed.

Among those items were the remains identified as her deceased father, who served in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps.

Lindenmayer said after repeated promises from the woman to meet and retrieve her father's remains, she stopped responding and never came to collect the ashes.

So, he contacted outgoing Cherokee County District 3 Commissioner Brian Poole of Poole’s Funeral Home, who directed him to the Marshal’s Office.

The Marshal’s Office was able to locate identifying information to lead the American Legion to Charles Dean Hughes’ DD214, which outlines his career as a Marine corporal flight engineer aboard a KC130 during the Vietnam War.

He also received a number of service awards, such as the National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Vietnam Campaign Medal; Air Medal; and Combat Crew Wings with Gold Star.

Corporal Hughes’ term of service was from 1967 to 1971, the marshal's office said.

“I hesitate to state something so obvious but I suppose I can offer this: Nothing shocks me anymore," said Cherokee County Chief Marshal Ron Hunton. "I’m thankful Mr. Lindenmayer and Mr. Poole reached out to us and we were able to bring Marine Corporal Hughes home to his military family.”

The funeral home donated its services for Hughes' burial.

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