Thieves steal ashes before Arlington burial

[unhappycamper]

Thieves steal ashes before Arlington burial
By Rick Neale - Florida Today via Gannett News Service
Posted : Friday Nov 20, 2009 8:56:10 EST

Someone stole an urn containing the ashes of a deceased Satellite Beach, Fla., war hero a day before his burial at Arlington National Cemetery, leaving his relatives aghast.

Norbert Otto Schmidt Sr. died Aug. 4 at 83. The retired Army colonel earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts in the Korean War.

Military officials scheduled a Nov. 13 service at the cemetery. But on the afternoon of Nov. 12, someone broke into a family member's van parked at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and swiped Schmidt's bronze urn.

"It shocked us, for sure," said Donna Schmidt, Norbert's wife of 55 years. "We're just hoping that somebody comes to their senses pretty soon. An urn and ashes don't mean something to someone else, but it means a lot to our family."

Relatives went ahead with the service at the cemetery in Virginia.


Artiocle at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/11/gns_ashes_stolen_112009/