GRAFTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Specialist Sarah Diane Beckstrom, the West Virginia Army National Guard soldier killed last month while deployed on security duties in Washington, D.C., was laid to rest Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton.
The 20-year-old was honored with full military rites, attended by family, fellow service members, state officials, and community supporters.
Beckstrom, a native of Webster County, enlisted in 2023 and served with the 863rd Military Police Company. She was remembered as a quiet but committed young woman who felt called to serve others and had hoped to pursue a future in mental health service.
Her death on November 27 followed injuries from an ambush shooting near a Metro station in Washington, D.C., prompting vigils and tributes throughout her hometown and across the state.
Following the ceremony, Governor Patrick Morrisey released a statement honoring Beckstrom’s service and the community that stood behind her:
“We are proud to honor one of West Virginia’s finest. The ceremony was deeply moving and reflected the strength, grace, and love of a remarkable young woman and the family and friends who surrounded her. Their strength is West Virginia’s strength.”
“Sarah served her state and nation with courage well beyond her years. Taken from us far too soon, she will always be remembered fondly by the West Virginia National Guard and by the people of our state. Yesterday’s ceremony was a time to grieve, to stand with those who loved her, and to honor the life she lived. Denise and I will continue to hold her family, her fellow Guardsmen, and all who are mourning her in our prayers.”
Military honors for Beckstrom included a folded flag presented to her family, a rifle salute, and the playing of “Taps.”
National Guard leadership described her as a rising soldier known for compassion, dedication, and a deep sense of duty. Her loss, they said, will be felt both within the military and among the communities she served.
Beckstrom is being remembered across West Virginia not only as a service member, but as a young woman whose life reflected the values she chose to wear in uniform: courage, humility, and service to others.
