 To the editor,I read your letter
in the mailbag of Nov. 25 and want to say we too
had a similar experience with our step-dad,
William Barrett.
He was a
Spanish-American War Veteran, the last in the
area (we were told) whom we laid to rest last
Monday.
He was 95,
a proud man to have served his country. His last
request was to have a military funeral which we
were told he would have. When we got to the
cemetery, nothing in the line of military, except
for the flag that draped his casket in the
funeral home.
He was one
who came back to tell of his many experiences he
endured in that war.
I hope our
men who came back from World War II and Vietnam
will not be ignored or forgotten, as they too did
their job for our country, but each and every one
of them, who came back, and those who did not,
are not ignored or forgotten, they are in some
one’s prayers every day.
After my
step-dads’ funeral, I heard a Veteran of
Foreign Wars man say he was going to drop out of
the V.F.W., he was in World War II. I hope he
doesn’t, but will stay in and help make a
better organization.
I am not
writing this in bitterness or because we wanted a
big showing. It was a dying man’s request
which we tried to comply with for him.
So if this
happens to any others, just remember these men
are not ignored or forgotten for they have
family, relatives, and friends, in which my
step-dad was very fortunate to have so many, who
knew and loved him.
We are
thankful to all his friends for their visits, and
acts of kindness shown him in recent years.
We hope
also the man you wrote about (Wally Westbrook)
had as many friends. Isn’t that what really
counts? And to his family we express our
sympathy.
Mrs. Emil
(Mary) Eccher *
* Note: Mary Eccher passed away on August 27,
2005 at the age of 95.
|
President Gene
Beals opens the memorial service
