Community members in Corpus Christi are being called to action to ensure a Vietnam-era Marine veteran won’t be buried alone this December. The funeral, scheduled with no family expected to attend, highlights the ongoing mission to honor those who served – even when they have no one left to remember them.
The Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery will conduct an unaccompanied burial for Corporal Richard Joe Banks on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., cemetery officials announced. Born in 1945, Cpl. Banks served in the United States Marine Corps from 1963 to 1967, earning multiple commendations including the Vietnam Service Medal with bronze star.
No next of kin are expected to attend the service.
A Call for Community Support
“Please help us spread the word and ensure that this U.S. Marine Veteran is not buried alone,” a Veterans Land Board representative urged in the announcement. “Members of the Corpus Christi community are encouraged to attend.”
The ceremony will include full military honors befitting Cpl. Banks’ service. If no family members appear, a Veterans Land Board representative will accept the American flag on his behalf – a solemn duty the organization has performed numerous times as part of its commitment to Texas veterans.
Why does this matter? For many veterans without family, these community-attended services represent the final recognition of their sacrifice – ensuring that even those without living relatives receive proper honors and remembrance.
The Texas Veterans Land Board partners with local communities and veterans organizations in what has become an increasingly common practice across the country – mobilizing citizens to attend burials of veterans who might otherwise be laid to rest without witnesses. “The Texas Veterans Land Board works with local communities and fellow Veterans service organizations to ensure NO Veteran is EVER left behind,” the organization states in its mission materials.
A Dignified Resting Place
Located at 9974 Interstate Highway 37 in Corpus Christi, the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery serves as a “dignified and serene final resting place specifically dedicated to those who have faithfully served our nation,” according to cemetery documentation. The facility features an assembly area, committal shelter, and administration building designed to provide a peaceful environment for veterans’ families and visitors.
The cemetery operates under the direction of Dr. Dawn Buckingham, who made history in 2022 as Texas’ first female Land Commissioner. Since taking office, Buckingham has emphasized her commitment to “serving Texas Veterans” alongside other priorities including disaster relief, education, energy, and border security, her office notes.
Such unaccompanied burials have become poignant community events in veterans cemeteries across Texas, often drawing dozens or even hundreds of citizens who come to stand in as “family” for veterans who have no one else.
Those interested in attending Cpl. Banks’ service are simply asked to arrive at the cemetery before the 9:00 a.m. start time on December 12th. No registration is required – just the willingness to ensure a fellow Texan and Marine who served his country receives a proper goodbye.
In death, as in life, the cemetery stands as a reminder of the bond between veterans and the communities they once served – a connection that, at its best, endures long after a veteran’s own family may be gone.
