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Members from multiple area veterans organizations on Friday escorted the remains of Pvt. Thomas Maddy to the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston and held a funeral with military honors.

The funeral procession consisted of members from the Albert Lea American Legion, the Glenville American Legion, the Freeborn American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans and VFW Post 447.

Something unusual about this event was that Maddy was not known by any members of the organizations, nor did he have family in the area.

In fact, Maddy would not have had a funeral service at all if an urn containing his ashes had not been discovered recently in an Albert Lea home.

According to Jeff Dahlen, Freeborn County veterans services officer, the urn containing Maddy’s ashes was left behind in a home in Albert Lea and was discovered on a closet shelf. It was then given to Bayview Freeborn Funeral & Cremation Services, and the staff were able to confirm his identity. Freeborn County Veterans Services was contacted after discovering Maddy had served in the military.

Dahlen said his initial response to learning about Maddy was to try and contact any remaining family he may have.

“Both … Bayview and the Preston cemetery people helped us reach out to next of kin,” Dahlen said. “They found a very distant relative of his in Tennessee still, and they chose just to let us do this honor and bury him here at Preston. They didn’t want his ashes returned to Tennessee.”

According to a press release using information collected by Bayview Freeborn Funeral & Cremation Services and military records, Maddy was born on Feb. 3, 1956, in Union, West Virginia, to Lola Wilkerson and Thomas Maddy. He joined the United States Army Reserve in June 1974 through a delayed entry program in Nashville. Shortly after, the Secretary of the Army ordered him into active duty for a three-year term.

The release also states Maddy trained as an office machine repairman at Fort Lee, Virginia, and served at several installations including Fort Knox, Fort Lee and Fort Meade in Maryland. He received an honorable discharge on April 21, 1975.

Among his commendations were the National Defense Service Medal, a Sharpshooter Badge for the M16 rifle, and an Expert rating in grenade handling. When he enlisted, his home of record was Cross Plains, Tennessee, the release states.

Maddy died on July 18, 2019, at the age of 63 and was cremated shortly after. According to the release, arrangements were handled quietly by a friend in Albert Lea.

“While [Thomas Maddy] had no close family participating in today’s memorial, he was not alone,” Dahlen said in the release. “On this day, in a joint escort mission from Albert Lea to the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, strangers stood in place of family — riding and driving in honor, with respect, gratitude and quiet dignity.

Though we may not have known Thomas personally, we know this: He served. He wore the uniform. He swore an oath. And for that, he has earned his rest, his honors and our remembrance. Rest in peace, PVT Maddy. You are no longer unknown.”

Members of the various veterans organizations gathered Friday morning at the parking lot on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Fountain Street, which is across the street from Albert Lea American Legion Post 56. After listening to some instructions and a short safety briefing, an Albert Lea Police Department vehicle escorted the motorcyclists out of the parking lot and down Broadway Avenue. The police also escorted the procession some of the way to Preston.

“In terms of service in the military, the brotherhood of all of us, not knowing who this guy is, we’re putting on our rain gear and driving through the misty morning to go provide honors to a guy that none of us know,” said Dahlen shortly before the ride began. “Our veteran clubs and our service clubs continue to provide the best services we can to our veterans, and the community support is always welcome.”

The funeral was held at noon in Preston and included military honors and the presenting of a casket flag. The flag was presented to Glenville American Legion Riders Director Bruce Camerer and will be on display at the Glenville American Legion.