December 2021

Page A27 DECEMBER 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A US Cremation Equipment leads the way. It all comes down to… PERFORMANCE! www.uscremationequipment.com • info@uscremationequipment.com Service Performance · Rapid Response Times · Attentive to Your Needs · Experienced & Knowledgeable Equipment Performance · Low Cost Ef cient Operation · No Cool-Down Between Cases · Fast Processing Times · Longer Equipment Life · Obese Case Capacity · Fully Automated Controls Call 321.282.7357 We build the best and service the rest. Basham Funeral Care Honors War Hero with Memorial Service Thirteen tribute candles burn for Corporal Hunter Lopez and the twelve other servicemembers killed in the terrorist attack in Afghanistan at the Kabul Airport on August 26. Releasing the doves following the service are Ann Jones of Basham, who organized the event; Colonel Wes Clare, who conducted the ser- vice; and Basham Assistant Manager Spencer Price. Bagpiper James Carmichael leads Colonel Wes Clare andmembers of the Bakersfield Freedom Riders out of the chapel. On the monitor is a photo of Corporal Lopez. BAKERSFIELD,CA— Basham Funeral Care , a Bakersfield CA funeral operation with four lo- cations, was honored to conduct a memorial ser- vice for Corporal Hunt- er Lopez of Indio, CA. Corporal Lopez was one of the 13 United States service members killed in the terrorist attack at the Kabul airport in Af- ghanistan on August 26. The service was held on October 29 at Basham’s Niles Street facility. Corporal Hunter Lopez was the son of Riverside County Sheriff Captain Herman Lopez and Deputy Alicia Lopez. Corporal Lopez planned to work with his parents at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office upon his return from active duty. In addition to the memorial service, the funeral home es- tablished a website where donations can be made to the Riverside County Deputy Re- lief Fund in honor of Corporal Lopez. “The funeral profession cares for families, including extended families and friends that have lost a loved one. The sister of John Basham, former owner of Basham Funeral Care, has worked for years with Corporal Lopez’s parents at the sheriff’s office,” com- mented Eddie Pena, General Manager at Basham Funeral Care. “Although the com- munities of Indio and Bakersfield are more than 200 miles apart, we are privileged to honor the memory of Corporal Lopez and the twelve other service members killed in the terrorist attack with this memorial ser- vice and online donation portal.” The memorial service was conducted at the funeral home by Colonel Wes Clare, a retired state chaplain for the California Na- tional Guard and veteran of Desert Storm. In addition to Corporal Lopez, the twelve other service members killed in the terrorist attack were honored at the service. Follow- ing the service, a bagpiper played the “Ma- rine Corps Hymn” before 13 white doves were released into the air outside the funeral home. “Anthem Partners respects the unique histo- ry of each of its funeral homes and instructs all locations to build on their legacy,” commented Will Andrews, president of Anthem Partners. “Conducting this service for Corporal Lopez and collecting donations for the deputy relief fund reinforces our mantra, ‘Anthem Partners is Where Legacy Lives.’” Anthem Partners is a privately-owned opera- tor of cemeteries and funeral homes. Founded by a group of industry professionals and backed by long-term, patient investors, Anthem Part- ners is actively seeking opportunities to grow with like-minded professionals and firms who share their vision. Respecting the unique his- tory of the family businesses and acknowledg- ing the lives lived in the communities that they serve are the founding principles of Anthem Partners. To learn more, call 972.418.2908 or visit www.anthempartners.com.