Marine veteran gunned down in Olney buried

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Family and friends said goodbye Wednesday evening during a funeral for 47-year-old Howard White. He's a Marine veteran killed a week ago.

"I'm hurt and heartbroken. Words can't describe the pain I feel right now," said Harold Holland.

Even military veterans who didn't know him showed up after hearing what happened.

"That just speaks volumes to what type of man he was that you have people who are willing to do anything who didn't know him. But that says what type caliber man he was," said Holland, White's cousin. White has been hailed a hero. He was at a neighborhood bar on North 5th Street in Olney when police say he was shot to death trying to intervene when another man began causing a disturbance with others. Surveillance video captured White and others leaving the bar behind the suspect.

"He's not here but his spirit is still present. Just recognizing him as a hero we're thankful for that because that's just what he was," said his cousin Malinda Gordon. White who was known as "Moodle" served his country for more than two decades until he was hurt in a tank explosion. He had only been home a month and a half when he was killed. Dwayne Peel who is also a military veteran says White was his best friend.

"It's just really hard that my friend is gone. He would give you the shirt off his back. You ask and he'll give," said Peel.

Michele Holland says her cousin taught her to experience the world. He paid for her to go to London and Poland when she was just 18 years old.

"He got this (necklace) from Ethiopia when he went so I'm always going to carry this and he loved to travel," she said.

White will be buried at Washington Crossing National Cemetery with a full military salute.