Honor Bell

What is the Honor Bell?

 For those planning a funeral for a veteran here in Colorado, there is something you can look into in addition to the typical military honors the funeral home will normally arrange for you (honor guard, flag, taps, etc.). 

  The Honor Bell Foundation, Inc. is a Colorado nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation based in Denver. Its primary purpose is to provide a unique funeral honor for deceased military veterans through the slow ringing, known as tolling, of a ceremonial bell. To accomplish this mission, the Foundation produced the Honor Bell and renders “Bell Honors” at the funerals of U.S. military veterans and personnel killed in action to augment the dignity and respect that should be paid to those that have served our nation.

  The Honor Bell is the first tolling bell cast in U.S. history with the sole purpose of rendering a final honor to United States Service Members killed in action and United States Armed Forces Veterans.  It is tolled exclusively by veterans and active-duty servicemembers.  It is a custom-designed, thirty-seven-inch diameter, forty-inch tall, stationary bronze bell that weighs one thousand pounds.  The Bell's motto is "Forged From Honor." During the casting of the Honor Bell, artifacts from twelve deceased Colorado servicemen from World War II to the Global War on Terror were added to the molten bronze, representing veterans past, present and future.  With these artifacts forever part of the bell, it can be truly said that "the Honor Bell has been Forged From Honor."

The Honor Bell was dedicated for service at a Memorial Day 2016 ceremony. It currently tolls at funerals and memorial ceremonies at Fort Logan National Cemetery, as well as throughout Colorado. Bell Honors are a free service offered to veterans’ families.

  At interment ceremonies, the Honor Bell is guarded and tolled by the Bell Guard. Tolling is the deliberate slow-ringing of a bell to elicit sorrow and show respect.  Rendering Bell Honors is performed in a tradition known as the "ancient tolling method," a perfect complement to the beauty of military rites. After the folded flag of the United States of America is presented to the next of kin, the Bell Guard provides a tribute of dignity, honor and respect with the Seven Solemn Tolls of the Honor Bell. The bell is tolled seven times, with seven seconds between each toll. The seven tolls represent the many stages in a veteran's life.

  For more information on the Honor Bell you can visit their website at Honor Bell Foundation: a Colorado Veteran Non Profit Organization  At this time, Bell Honors are only available for services at Fort Logan National Cemetery (memorial service requests outside Fort Logan may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis). You can submit a request form from the website and you will normally get a response within 24 hours. If you have any issues with the form or prefer to speak with someone, you may also contact them directly at 720-295-4582.