Garbage trucks escort Illinois hauler's hearse to burial

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The hearse carrying the late Ronnie Davis had some curious escorts: A dozen garbage trucks.

The 60-year-old Springfield, Illinois, resident spent 21 years driving for Republic Services and its predecessors.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that he was accompanied to his burial last weekend by some of the 16-ton garbage trucks that haul off trash from city neighborhoods.

Leading the procession was the commercial-container truck that Davis drove until his March 24 death. A black wreath was attached to the grille of the truck.

Dan Winters is Republic's general manager for the region. He says the company's managers and workers so admired Davis' work ethic that they hoped the procession would show his family their appreciation.

A colleague says Davis "always made sure the customers were taken care of."

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com