Two Virginia State Troopers will be laid to rest later this week. Trooper-Pilot Berke Bates and Lieutenant Jay Cullen were killed when their helicopter crashed near Charlottesville Saturday.
Here are the arrangements announced by Virginia State Police:
RICHMOND, Va. – Funeral arrangements have been finalized for Virginia State Police Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, who died in a helicopter crash in Albemarle County on the afternoon of August 12, 2017:
TROOPER-PILOT BERKE M.M. BATES
Visitation: Thursday, August 17, 2017
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Nelson Funeral Home at 4650 South Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23231
Funeral: Friday, August 18, 2017
11:00 a.m.
Saint Paul’s Baptist Church at 4247 Creighton Road, Richmond, VA 23223
The interment will be a private graveside service.
LIEUTENANT H. JAY CULLEN
Visitation: Friday, August 18, 2017
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Bennett Funeral Home at 14301 Ashbrook Parkway, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Funeral: Saturday, August 19, 2017
10:00 a.m.
Southside Church of the Nazarene at 6851 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832
The interment will be a private graveside service.
For those wishing to support the Cullen and/or Bates families financially, contributions are being accepted through the Virginia State Police Association (VSPA0 (www.vspa.org) Emergency Relief Fund (ERF). Monetary donations can be made by check (made payable to VSPA-ERF with “Jay Cullen” and/or “Berke Bates” noted in the memo) or Citizens may also donate through PayPal by visiting http://vspa.org/initiatives/emergency-relief-fund. When donating through PayPal please be sure to note the donation is for "Lt. Cullen and/or Tpr. Bates" in the comment section. Checks can be mailed to the VSPA ERF at 6944 Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond, VA 23225. All donations to the VSPA-ERF are tax deductible, and 100% of the donation goes to the families. For any additional questions, please contact the VSPA at 804-320-6272.