History behind special casket trailer honoring American veterans

Around Memorial Day time, if anyone happened to be driving around or in Oakland Cemetery, they noticed a special casket that was used as a trailer to honor an American vet who was about to be laid to rest.

that began as a necessity for Gerald “Jerry” Mitts, turned out to be a wonderful way to meet, greet and get to know other veterans in a way never thought possible.

Mitts was a Purple Heart recipient from the Vietnam tar where he encountered a land mine.

Everything was going well until one day in 2005 he had a brain-stem stroke while driving. He was transferred to Enid, where the severity of his stroke became apparent. Doctors said he was totally paralyzed from the top of his ears down and was only given a two percent chance to make it through that night.

After four months in the hospital and doing rehabilitation, he walked out of that medical facility on his own accord — and with only minimal help. Mitts was aided with the use of a leg brace and a walker.

Despite the stroke-inflicted handicap, Mitts continued into one of his passions — cars and car shows. Mitts and his wife went in a four-state region — Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas — for as long as his health would allow.

Mitts purchased a motorized scooter to help with his mobility, but it wouldn’t fit well in his vehicle. It just so happened he was looking on eBay one day and saw this casket for sale down near Houston. He purchased it, then called his brother Don to go down and look it over.

However, when Mitts got down to the Houston area to get it, he called his brother with the unfortunate news that the casket was in “total disrepair,” but, thanks to Mitts’ welding abilities he shared with his other brother Jack, the duo got this casket trailer ready for transportation from Houston to Guymon.

Mitts’ abilities helped turn a “ugly green color” to a golden color. The paint job and the graphics on this casket trailer were all his ideas from his military days to his car show days. Mitts said he did it to say “thank you” to all as well as having a piece of transportation to help carry his scooter.

Mitts died Dec. 14 due to complications from COVID-19. Upon his death, the casket trailer was passed on to its new owner, his brother-in-law Bryan Hoggatt, who works at Evans and Miller Funeral Home, and his wife Marilyn.

The casket trailer is now available for families who wish to use it to honor all veterans — past and present.

The casket trailer is available for loan for such patriotic goings-on as military events and parades.

For those interested or for further information, call Hoggatt at (918) 658-8862.