Honoring Waitsburg’s Veterans

WAITSBURG - In the spring of 1999, Karen Mohney, then president of the Waitsburg American Legion Auxilia- ry #35, presented the group with the idea of erecting a Veteran's Memorial Wall in Waitsburg. "I just had a passion for wanting to see our local veterans hon- ored and remembered," said Mohney.

"We thought the idea was fantastic, but it seemed like 'Mission Impos- sible,'" Auxiliary member B.A. Keve re- called. The American Legion jumped on board and the two groups joined forces to bring the idea to fruition in time for Memorial Day, 2000.

Mohney developed a design that was quickly accepted and the groups began the work of raising the $14,000 cost of the project. The only area of contention was the placement of the memorial. A vote was taken between the City Park and the Waitsburg City Cemetery with the Cemetery supporters garnering ma- jority.

The City not only donated the land for the project, but also moved a storage shed from the prime location on which the memorial now stands. Businesses and families donated generously and the Auxiliary raffled "gold bricks" as a fun- draiser. Each gold, construction paper brick contained a number - one of which would win a cash prize.

American Legion members per- formed the manual labor of readying the site and Wylie's Monuments built and set the granite slab that bears the names of local military members buried in either the Waitsburg City Cemetery or the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in Waitsburg. Members are listed under the conflict of the period they served or under Peacetime.

Prior to the erection of the memorial, Ivan Keve spent numerous hours match- ing cemetery records with markers and deciphering nicknames to determine and verify local veterans. He continues to gather the names that update the wall each year. "There are families that choose to have their loved ones buried here just because they want their names on the Memorial Wall," said B.A. Keve.

"There are names going back to the Indian Wars that took place right in this very spot," said Mohney. "Our area is so rich in history and we're losing touch with that. I can just picture teachers sitting with their classes in front of the Wall and learning about the conflicts listed." The wall listed 279 names at that first ceremony in 2000; today there are 377 names memorialized.

This Memorial Day marks the first service with more than one speaker. Marci and Lyle Perkins and John Za- harevich are the proud parents of three adult children and one son-in-law, who are currently serving our country. Son, and Waitsburg graduate, Michael Zaharevich, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Mission to NATO Registry, is currently stationed in Brussels, Belgium and will be contributing his speech in writing. Son and Waitsburg graduate, Nicholas Zaharevich, First Lieutenant, WA Army National Guard and daughter and Waits- burg graduate, Armelia Zahaverich- Rupp, Intelligence Analyst Specialist in the WA Army National Guard will both be speaking. Armelia will be joined by her husband Matthew Rupp, Recruiting Sergeant, Alpha Company, WA National Guard, who is the son of Sharon and Terry Bloor and John Rupp.

Nine names have been added to the wall to be dedicated this Memorial Day.

WWII: Martin P. Baker, Bill Davis, Sr., Robert O. Estes, Ralph I. Hamilton, Elmer Hays, and Robert E. Hulce

Vietnam: Clyde H. Standfill and James D. Wood

Peacetime, Donald D. Hill

The Memorial Day Program will take place on May 27 at 11:00 a.m. at the Waitsburg City Cemetery. Patriotic mu- sic will be performed by the Waitsburg High School music department and the Waitsburg Quartet. Dayton American Legion Post #42 will provide a gun salute and American Legion Auxiliary Americanism Essay winners will read their essays. A potato bar luncheon will be held at Town Hall following the me- morial.

Anyone possessing a memorial flag they have received in honor of a loved one that they would like to donate to be flown at the Veteran's Wall, please contact B.A. Keve at ikbakeve@charter.net to be added to the program to pres- ent the flag to the Legion. Those with loved ones currently serving our country that would like to buy a Blue Star Ban- ner may also contact Keve at the above email address.