Shawnee Holds Three Memorial Day Programs
On Monday, May 30, Shawnee had three Memorial Day Programs from which to choose: at Resthaven Cemetery, Fairview Cemetery and Oklahoma Veterans Memorial Park (Woodland Veterans Park).
The speaker at Oklahoma Veterans Memorial Park was Navy Captain David Stevens who reminded everyone that Memorial Day is not a day to celebrate, but rather a “day of remembrance.”
Stevens said 42 million have served in the Armed Forces, and 651,000 have “paid the supreme sacrifice.”
Stevens read the poem “In Flanders Fields,” by John McCrae, which was written during World War I.
He concluded his speech, saying “651,000 war dead is not a reason to celebrate, but it is a time to remember … a day of reverence, a day of remembrance. It is up to us to do what we can to ensure Memorial Day means what it does.”
In memory of all fallen veterans, a bouquet of red, white and blue silk flowers were placed by American Legion Post 16 Commander Richard Filbert and VFW Auxiliary President Barbara White.
The VFW Honor Guard gave a 21-gun salute, and OBU student Hannah McMurtrey played “Taps.” Robby Byrd and Lucas Schafer, with Tecumseh’s BSA Troop 417, served as the Color Guard, and VFW Post 1317 Commander- Elect Patrick “Gunny” Koch served as M.C.
Al Brase, with the Veterans Memorial Committee of Shawnee, spoke next about the Gold Star Families Monument. A cement oval has been prepared for the monument southwest of the Oklahoma Veterans Memorial Wall. So far, $32,000 has been raised.
However, $36,000 is still needed for the concrete and lighting, even though it was hoped the new monument would be completed in May. The monument itself will be obtained from and installed by the Woody Williams Foundation, but the four back panels have been designed by the Veterans Memorial Committee. They represent “starting life,” family, “patriotic service,” and sacrifice.
Brase said the combination of the Gold Star Families Monument with the memorial wall and its 7,568 names of all Oklahomans killed during war will be unique.
“So, if you can picture every name on that wall having a family associated with it, the sacrifice - they gave something very close to them for the safety of our country - is what Memorial Day is all about,” he said.
Brase had flyers about the monument available, and he had other flyers on hand with a survey for Korean War veterans.
“If you know of a Korean War vet, we have a little medallion that you can take to him and give it to him for the 70 years since the Korean War, which was a couple of years ago,” Brase added. “COVID-19 kind of messed up our program for that.”
Those wishing to donate to the Gold Star Families Monument or for more information, can call the Shawnee Parks Department at 405-273-1960.
Following the ceremony, there were free grilled hot dogs available from the VFW and American Legion auxiliaries.
