Each Memorial Day, the family of Bill Tuley came to his grave to honor him.
They knew approximately where the World War II veteran was buried in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens. His final resting spot was near the grave of his wife, Catherine.
But there was no marker for him. The family could not afford to have one put in.
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“When we had flowers, we’d just have to just stick them in the ground where we thought he was,” said Debbie Blair, Tuley’s niece.
But now, 16 years after Tuley’s death, his final resting place is marked with a respectful bronze military grave marker. The Whiteland-based Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6978 raised more than $900 to have a concrete pad poured and the marker set.
For the VFW, it was an opportunity to provide a well-earned honor for a Johnson County veteran. In his family’s eyes, it was an extraordinary showing of compassion.
“It was a really decent thing they did,” said Jesse Smith, a Greenwood resident and Tuley’s nephew.
Tuley enlisted in the U.S. Army as World War II was nearing an end. The Shelby County native was 16 years old, and assigned to the Panama Canal department of the Army.
After his service ended, he returned to Indiana and ended up working as a tool grinder for Detroit Diesel Allison before retiring in 1987. He was a member of United Auto Workers Local 933, American Legion Post 70 in Shelbyville and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2695 in Shelbyville.
Tuley died in 2002 at age 82. As a veteran, he was due a grave marker provided by Veterans Affairs. The marker had been delivered, but never mounted because there was no concrete pad necessary to place it on.
In subsequent years, as other family members came to visit his grave, they were surprised that there was no marker.
“When we went up there, we noticed that there wasn’t a stone there. I thought that was unusual, because all of that information should have been there,” Smith said.
After investigating what had happened to the marker, Smith, Blair and other family members learned that a pad had yet to be purchased. To do so would cost close to $1,000.
“Everything else was alright, except for that. And none of us at that time were in the shape to fork over that kind of money,” Smith said.
Smith was the one who shared Tuley’s story with the VFW. In September 2017, he was seriously injured in an automobile accident, suffering bleeding on the brain, 11 broken ribs, a broken hip and a severely broken leg that required the implementation of a metal rod from his knee to his hip.
The Korean War veteran was rehabilitating at Methodist Hospital. Upon learning about the injury, Don Metcalf, the chaplain for VFW Post 6978, started regularly visiting Smith.
“At first, he didn’t even know I was there because he was in such bad shape,” Metcalf said.
As Smith recovered, Metcalf continued to see him. At one point, Smith mentioned his uncle, Tuley. The discussion turned to Tuley’s military service, and how he did not have a marker at his grave.
“The plaque was in storage, because the family couldn’t afford the $900 for the base,” Metcalf said. “So I took it to the post and we decided that it would be one of the things we’d support.”
Much of what VFW Post 6978 does is work on projects and activities designed to improve the lives of veterans living in the area. A veterans’ relief fund provides assistance to those who might be struggling to pay bills, get medical help or have some other emergency.
The post provides money to a transportation fund for veterans through Access Johnson County, and visits elderly veterans throughout the year.
Members of the post serve on local honor guards, giving proper military honors at veterans’ funerals.
So when Metcalf learned of Tuley’s unmarked grave, he felt it was a cause the post needed to take up.
“It was something we felt needed done,” Metcalf said.
Keith Woods, a member of Post 6978, helped lead the effort to convince the post as well as its auxiliary unit to donate the money for the base for Tuley’s grave marker. Both voted to contribute money to the effort.
Word spread through social media, and a number of community members stepped forth to donate as well. In about one week, they had the money needed. Woods worked with Forest Lawn officials to purchase the base and get it poured earlier this year.
Tuley’s marker was anchored and set in October.
“It was a wonderful surprise. We were shocked they do something like that for us,” said Martha Sturgis, Smith’s ex-wife who is still close to the family. “They did a wonderful job on it.”
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VFW Post 6978 in Whiteland is dedicated to ensuring veterans are respected for their service, always receive the entitlements that they’ve earned and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made.
The organization’s post relief fund helps veterans with assistance on everything from utility bills to groceries and temporary housing for the homeless to transportation.
One of the challenges of the post is getting needy veterans to come to them for help.
If anyone knows of a veteran or veteran’s family in need of help in the area, place contact the post at 317-535-4041.
Veterans seeking assistance must have identification and proof of military service.
Donations to the relief fund can also be made by calling Post 6978. All donations to the fund are tax deductible, and that funding can only be use for assisting needy veterans.
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