American Legion Post 49 Honor Guard, Titus Funeral Home & Cremation sole owner Cory Benz (eighth from left) and the Titus staff pose for a group photo in front of the Dodge Grand Caravan that Titus Funeral Home donated to Post 49 Thursday. The donation was presented at Titus Funeral Home & Cremation, 2000 E. Sheridan St., Warsaw. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — Titus Funeral Home & Cremation donated a van Thursday, Jan. 23, to American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw, and the Post will get a lot of use out of it.

Cory Benz, the sole owner of the funeral home, said, “We recognize that they travel with us sometimes down to Marion, sometimes down to Anderson and they’re doing it in their personal vehicles. So we have an extra van that we’ve got lettered with the American Legion logo on it, and we’re donating it to them free and clear of any titles.”

Post 49 will use the van for a number of purposes.

“They can take Legion members to the VA (Veterans Administration), they can go to Gordon Food Service and pick up food if they need to. And it’s for any funeral home, not just for us,” Benz stated. “They’re welcome to use it as they see fit.”

The van is a Dodge Grand Caravan and can seat seven or eight people if all the seats are up.

“But I know they’re going to want to put the flags in the vehicle, and all those things, in the back,” he said.

Post 49 Commander William “Bud” Long said, “We appreciate it very much. The veterans appreciate it, and I can’t say thanks enough. We’ll put it to good use.”

Many times, American Legion Post 49 Honor Guard members have had to drive their own assortment of vehicles to go to veterans’ funerals.

“Having a passenger van will cut down on that,” Long said.

He said they transport veterans to the VA every now and then, go to funerals and get groceries at least once a week.

“It’s going to be put to use,” Long stated.

For more information about Titus Funeral & Cremation, visit their website at www.titusfuneralhome.com.