Homeless Marine Gets Last Wish To Be Buried in Dress Blues

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An Oklahoma City homeless veteran who died Thursday after being diagnosed with cancer is being buried in Marine dress blues to honor his dying wish.

KOCO-TV said Donnie Loneman loved being a Marine and made his final request after he was told he had three weeks to live.

Loneman, a Native American, spent a decade living on the streets and neither owned a dress uniform nor could he afford one.

The station reported that the Oklahoma City Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center and several veterans organization came together to assist Loneman in his last days.

They secured a donated dress uniform and kicked in to pay his funeral expenses, and to provide him with an honor guard detail for the burial.

KOCO's report shows Loneman on his death bed at the VA hospital tucked under a Marine Corps flag.

“He said, ‘I’m going to enter the gates [of Heaven], and I’m going to tell all the Marines that are standing there that they’re relieved of their duty, and I’m going to take their place, and I’ll stand there until my arms get tired, and another Marine comes.” He said, ‘I’m ready to go,’” said Christine Cleary, who worked with Loneman at the VA's homeless program.

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