Vernon "Vern" Lecy, a Korean war veteran who helped publicize the Veterans Honored Interment program in the days before his death, died July 19 at the Fort Meade Veterans Affairs hospital.

Lecy will be buried in one of the basic burial vessels made by veterans for veterans on July 28 at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. The Rapid City Journal on July 3 featured the program and the Norwegian rosemaling and other decorations Lecy wanted on his casket.

The VHI program is headquartered at the Michael J. Fitzmaurice South Dakota Veterans Home in Hot Springs. To learn more about the VHI caskets for $250 or the VHI cremation urn for $100, contact Peg Sperlich at 605-745-5547, or write to the VHI program, c/o the Michael J. Fitzmaurice S.D. Veterans Home, 2500 Minnekahta Ave., Hot Spings, SD 57747.

Lecy's obituary is on page C2.