Just under a week after the death of two Iowa National Guard servicemen deployed in Syria, a Marshalltown funeral home is preparing to host the final service for one of the fallen.The Mitchell Family Funeral Home will conduct the service for Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard in his hometown. Funeral Director Marty Mitchell says while he didn’t know Howard personally, he knew Howard’s family — and his death is hitting the entire community hard.”It’s very touchy,” Mitchell said. “They’re very family-connected, patriotic, and just are hurting really bad right now.”And while he wishes the funeral wasn’t happening, he says it’s a deep honor to oversee the final send-off of a homegrown hero like Howard.”We only have one chance to do a funeral. It isn’t like any other business where, maybe, you do it over again… Internally, we’ve been going through a lot of preparations,” he said. Sgt. Howard is back on American soil. President Donald Trump oversaw the dignified transfer of his body in Delaware on Wednesday. It’s unclear when Howard will return to his final resting place, but the Mitchell family says they’ll be ready when he does. “We’ve been updated basically every day,” Mitchell said. “We’re going to do some practices here in the next few days.”He says the community is already showing up: donating money, sending cards, flowers, and other gifts of sympathy — ready to greet Howard with the highest honor.”I would tend to say that when we bring him back home, the route that’s being taken to bring him here will be very well attended and joined in by community support,” Mitchell said.For those interested in sending cards to the family, Mitchell asks that you contact the funeral home directly. You can also contact them with any questions on how to help.Contact information for the Mitchell Family Funeral Home can be found here. » Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
Just under a week after the death of two Iowa National Guard servicemen deployed in Syria, a Marshalltown funeral home is preparing to host the final service for one of the fallen.
The Mitchell Family Funeral Home will conduct the service for Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard in his hometown.
Funeral Director Marty Mitchell says while he didn’t know Howard personally, he knew Howard’s family — and his death is hitting the entire community hard.
“It’s very touchy,” Mitchell said. “They’re very family-connected, patriotic, and just are hurting really bad right now.”
And while he wishes the funeral wasn’t happening, he says it’s a deep honor to oversee the final send-off of a homegrown hero like Howard.
“We only have one chance to do a funeral. It isn’t like any other business where, maybe, you do it over again… Internally, we’ve been going through a lot of preparations,” he said.
Sgt. Howard is back on American soil. President Donald Trump oversaw the dignified transfer of his body in Delaware on Wednesday.
It’s unclear when Howard will return to his final resting place, but the Mitchell family says they’ll be ready when he does.
“We’ve been updated basically every day,” Mitchell said. “We’re going to do some practices here in the next few days.”
He says the community is already showing up: donating money, sending cards, flowers, and other gifts of sympathy — ready to greet Howard with the highest honor.
“I would tend to say that when we bring him back home, the route that’s being taken to bring him here will be very well attended and joined in by community support,” Mitchell said.
For those interested in sending cards to the family, Mitchell asks that you contact the funeral home directly. You can also contact them with any questions on how to help.
Contact information for the Mitchell Family Funeral Home can be found here.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play