Missouri Town Rallies to Host Funeral for Five-Time Purple Heart Hero

When a Korean War veteran died earlier this month, he left behind no family and few close friends to honor him with a proper military funeral. 

However, thanks to the generosity of a local policeman and his community, Marvin “Mark” Sloan – a five-time Purple Heart recipient – will receive the final salute he deserves. 

Sloan, 94, died on April 3 in St. Peters, Missouri. After losing his beloved wife Elizabeth in 2020, Sloan went into a shell. Saying farewell to his partner of 60 years, he became depressed and aloof, alienating former friends. To make matters worse, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Sloan couldn’t even visit his wife during her remaining days in the hospital. 

Cpl. Jason Gray of the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department, who befriended Sloan in recent years, said dealing with the loss of his wife was a challenge for the veteran. 

“I don’t know what he struggled from worse,” Gray told First Alert 4 in St. Louis. “His PTSD from the war, which he admittedly had, or the loss of his wife.”

Random Steakhouse Meeting 

A chance encounter changed the lives of both Sloan and Gray.

The police officer spotted Sloan dining by himself at a LongHorn Steakhouse. Gray said hello and the two began chatting. The Korean War veteran told Gray he had no remaining family members. Oh, and it was also his birthday. 

The random meeting struck Gray’s sympathy cord. Serving for the St. Peters Police Department, Gray talked to his superior, saying they should do something nice for this courageous Purple Heart veteran. 

The department purchased a birthday cake from Schnuck’s, a popular bakery in the St. Louis area and a card signed by officers. Gray met up with Sloan later that day to present him with the card and cake. A forgettable birthday turned into a very memorable one.  

For Sloan, the level of kindness from strangers was overwhelming. 

“To see a hardened war hero cry like a baby was just unbelievable,” Gray said.

From that day forward, Gray had a new friend. 

"I knew right then and there I had adopted a cranky, funny old war hero," he said. 

‘Amazing’ Battle Stories 

Perhaps Sloan didn’t see the value in family because he struggled to find a loving one growing up. 

Born in Chicago, Sloan was placed in an orphanage. He bounced from home to home and decided to join the military in his late teens to keep off the streets. 

Serving in the Korean War in the early 1950s, Sloan witnessed intense combat. All five Purple Hearts carry a story, many of which he shared with Gray. Some were difficult to believe until Gray viewed Sloan’s DD-214 military separation records confirming the hell Sloan went through in Korea. 

Barely escaping death several times would likely scare off most from staying in the military. Not Sloan. After Korea, he enlisted in the Air Force and moved to St. Louis. 

Getting his mail one day, he met Elizabeth. The couple started dating and were married three months later. 

Community Rallies for Funeral 

It’s likely Sloan would have died an unclaimed veteran, but thanks to a sympathetic cop and LongHorn Steakhouse, all that has changed. 

Gray said Sloan’s battles with PTSD, combined with the death of his wife, caused him to push away anyone who tried to help. However, Gray’s uniform allowed him to build a bridge to the aging veteran. 

“He respected the uniform,” Gray said. “He said he wore one in the best years of his life.”

Despite being 94, Sloan remained mentally sharp until his final days. After his death, the St. Peters Veterans Commission requested that Gray allow the public to attend the veteran’s memorial service on Friday. 

St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano is planning for a large turnout.

“I’m hoping word of mouth would get out to respect this man,” Pagano said. "And I'm hoping a lot of other veterans will be there as well." 

A funeral with full military honors will be held April 17 at 10 a.m. inside the Baue Funerals Cave Springs location and the Memorial Gardens Cemetery in St. Charles.