Patriot Guard Escort for Voakes Funeral

Undertsandably, Voakes’s family does not wish to be disturbed.

Other L’Anse and Baraga area residents we spoke with say they were greatly saddened to hear of his passing last week.

Many more of them have honored his memory by placing yellow and black ribbons on their doors, or on sign posts.

Patriot Guard Riders gave the funeral procession a first–class escort today.

The group is composed of veterans and they’re glad to ride for their fallen comrades.

Mike Lequia says when he first heard Voakes had passed on, he says he was saddened to hear the area had lost someone so young.

Both he and Ed Lovato are Vietnam veterans.

Lovato says since no one did anything like this for them when they lost one of their own, they wanted to make sure that once they were no longer in uniform they wouldn’t allow younger generations to experience that lack of support.

They say they honor the effort of men and women in uniform, regardless of their personal opinions on the conflicts America is in.

Braving a little cold is a small price to pay.

Randy Piatti says they all left Iron Mountain, where the three of them live, at about 5 this morning and the temperatures were a bit nippy — especially with the added wind resistance from the bike.

But he says it was the least they all could do.

Michigan Patriot Guard riders escort the procession of *any* fallen service member in the state.