World War I veteran finally laid to rest 45 years after death

RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. (InvestigateTV) - On a typical day at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery, the only sound on these hallowed grounds is an American flag flapping in the gentle breeze and birds chirping from a distance.“It is definitely interesting,” said Collin Johnson, who makes sure the Randolph Center cemetery’s grounds stay pristine for the over 6,000 veterans and their spouses who are buried there.Three men were laid to rest recently. Private Edward James Irwin was one of them. His final goodbye comes almost 45 years after his death. He served in the Army during World War I from 1917 to 1918.You may wonder why a World War I vet who died in November 1981 is finally going to be laid to rest. Well, it goes back to Walter Ducharme’s funeral business in Rutland.Ducharme bought Clifford’s Funeral Home last year. Everything came with the business, including a basement with rows of cremated remains.“The family didn’t pick up, or there was no one to take care of the matter,” Ducharm