Coroner Finds New Developments In Life Of Veteran Stephen Reiman; Police Departments Will Provide Escort
The Natrona County Coroner has found a relative of Stephen Carl Reiman, the Vietnam veteran who died homeless in Casper two weeks ago, she said Monday.
"I did hear from Stephen's sister, Diane Reiman, and we did talk by telephone for a short time last night," Connie Jacobson said.
"She is feeling a little overwhelmed, but she is so relieved and very excited about being able to actually come up here and be at his funeral on Tuesday," Jacobson said. "She has a lot of questions."
Diane Reiman, who like her brother is from southern California, and Jacobson hope to meet so she can learn what happened to her brother over the past couple of years when she lost contact with him.
Beside finding his sister, Stephen Reiman's story about his son dying in Iraq was false, Jacobson said.
The son, Daniel, also lives in southern California, she said. "He evidently has some very serious health challenges that don't even allow him to talk very well, so it's hard to communicate with him."
Last week, her office announced Stephen Reiman's death on Nov. 17 after he was taken from Sheridan to the Wyoming Medical Center on Nov. 13. He arrived in Sheridan five days earlier after a three-day bus ride from Long Beach, Calif., and was acutely ill. The initial reports about his life stated he was depressed about his son dying in Iraq.
His story has generated widespread interest locally and nationally.
It probably will result in a large turnout for his funeral at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The Casper Police Department announced it, the Mills and Evansville police departments will honor Reiman with an escort from Bustard's Funeral Home about 9 a.m., according to a press release from Sgt. Scott Jones.
The escort will start at the funeral home at 600 CY Ave., will proceed to Spruce Street and head north to West Collins Drive, east on Collins to Kimball Street. It will follow Kimball north to East Yellowstone Highway, east to Curtis Street in Evansville and north to the cemetery.
"We encourage all residents to be aware of this and assist us in giving Mr. Reiman the honor and respect he has earned as a veteran of our nation's armed forces," Jones said.