Katherine Ann Bey, a veteran whose remains have not been claimed by her family, will be laid to rest with full military honors. Dignity Memorial’s Homeless Veterans Burial Program will provide the funeral. It will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, 2200 E. Governor John Sevier Hwy.

Bey was born in Ohio in 1956. At the age of 19, Bey joined the United States Army on June 21, 1974 and served three years as a Medical Assistant/Medical Corpsman. She was stationed in Germany where she served for the majority of her three year enlistment. Private First Class Bey received an honorable discharge from the Army on June 13, 1977 and was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal. In recognition of her service, an all-female Army Cadet team from the University of Tennessee will serve as pallbearers.

This is the 70th unclaimed veteran to be laid to rest in Knoxville through the Homeless Veterans Burial Program, and only the second female. The burial is sponsored by Berry Funeral Home, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program, East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery and Cocke County Veterans Affairs.

"The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is a cooperative effort designed to ensure that veterans who are homeless, indigent, and have no family receive the honors in death that their service in life merited," said Jeff Berry of Dignity Memorial. "We're honored to assist in giving Ms. Bey the dignified military services she deserves.”

The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is in its eleventh year in the Knoxville area.

The community and media are invited to attend the public event hosted by Berry Funeral Home, a proud member of the Dignity Memorial® network of funeral, cremation and cemetery providers. Founded in 2000, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program operates in select cities across the country and works with various local veterans service agencies. The program has performed more than 2,000 services for homeless veterans since its inception.

Berry Funeral Home is a proud Dignity Memorial® provider in Knoxville and the Berry Family has served the Knoxville community for over 100 years. For more information, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com.