Cancer ruthlessly stole the health - and then the life - of Frank E. Devlin of Coaldale.

It also siphoned any financial resources he possessed to the extent that his wife couldn’t afford to even have a funeral service for him.

Devlin, an Army veteran who served as a sniper in the Korean War, died at age 85 on July 3 in the Hometown Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. He was laid to rest at Fort Indiantown Gap Cemetery.

On Thursday, thanks to the efforts to two Tamaqua women and the staff at the nursing home, a military service was held in his honor in front of the nursing home. A highlight was the folding of an American flag by two Fort Dix, New Jersey, military officers who then presented it to his widow, Martha C. (Ney) Devlin, also a resident there.

Martha and Frank had been married for 42 years. She cried when presented with the flag by Maj. Gavin Furbert of the 99th Casualty Assistance Division from Fort Dix. Furbert was assisted with folding the large flag by Sgt. 1st Class John O’Hara.

Alicia Silliman, administrator of the nursing home, said, “He had no funds for a funeral so we decided to do this for closure.”

The service was arranged by Martha’s friend, Frances Heckman, and Donna Randall, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran.

A color guard unit of the Tamaqua American Legion opened the program with a gun salute.

Furbert and O’Hara then opened the flag.

Furbert thanked Martha for her husband’s service to his country.

Randall offered the benediction.

Martha spoke briefly, saying, “I’m glad everybody came. Frank was a good man.”

She said, “He did everything he could to stop the cancer,” noting he conducted a brave fight.

“He was a good man,” she repeated.

“He said ‘hello’ to everybody.”

A picture of Frank was situated on a table at the site of the services.

Although his remains were buried at Indiantown Gap, Heckman said a necklace was given to Martha for some of his ashes.

E. Franklin Griffiths of Tamaqua, who was the funeral director for Devlin, also participated in Thursday’s service.