Hundreds of people Friday gathered in the public funeral service for the victim of last Thursday s plane crash.
The crowd filled the sanctuary at the St. James Missionary Baptist Church in East Austin to celebrate the life of Vernon Hunter, 67.
For me it's just a time to pay respect and honor to my uncle. He'll be missed, but we know where he's going, said Eric Haywood, Hunter s nephew. (It feels good) just being here to comfort other family members to know that everybody is affected by this. We'll miss him.
Hunter's family, those who knew him well and others who never knew him came to pay their respects. Among the guests were IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
They were greeted by a line of American flags held up by a group of volunteers honoring Hunter's military service.
The mourners parked and walked slowly inside. Ushers passed out a five page program at the doors. It held photos of Vernon and his wife Valerie.
The program tells the life of the U.S. Army veteran. Hunter served two tours in Vietnam. He will receive full military honors during his burial. That includes a team of bikers called the Patriot Guard Riders. The team will lead Hunter's family and select guests to Killeen where there will be a private burial ceremony at the Texas Veteran's Cemetery.
He was a very outgoing and caring person. He'd give you the shirt off his back. He was that kind of person, said Edwin Howard, one of Hunter's pall bearers.
Hunter was the only employee inside the IRS offices at the Echelon building complex to die in last Thursday s plane crash. IRS Commissioner Shulman spoke briefly at his funeral along with other family and friends.
