THIS IS WHAT MEMORIAL DAY IS ALL ABOUT!

25 May

THIS IS WHAT MEMORIAL DAY IS ALL ABOUT!

jennysala Uncategorized 0 0

Here is the story I wrote about my Uncle Roy Parsons, a WWII Veteran.

On Memorial Day 2011, I called my uncles and thanked them for their service. I also called my aunt Arlena Parsons (wife of my uncle Roy who was in the Big Red One in WWII) and shared how much I loved her and uncle Roy.

Her daughter my cousin Shirley called me later on in the evening and I also shared with her how much I loved her dad my uncle. He died of cancer in June of 1977, three months after I enlisted in the Navy, very sad day for me, I was unable to attend his funeral due to military commitments.

As the conversation was trailing off, Shirley shared that this day was better sweet and I said how so? She proceeded to tell me when uncle Roy passed that she contacted C.O at Ft. Leavenworth to see about an Honor Guard and Taps to be played at his service and she was told to contact the VFW due to they were unable to assist her, and so she did and they told her that since her father was not a paying member that they could not assist her either.

I told Shirley that I would fix this, she started weeping and asked me how, I replied, I did not know, however I would. I made three phone calls that evening and left messages since it was Memorial Day, to Gov. Jay Nixon, Senator Roy Blunt and Congressman Sam Graves, all from Missouri, asking for help to resolve this issue. I received a call back from Senator Blunt’s office telling me they had contacted my cousin Shirley that they would look into the situation, however being 34 years it might be difficult, well that didn’t set well with me and I thought this should be a quick fix.

On 02 June 2011, I called Governor Jay Nixon’s office again, first expressing to them that they are in our prayers, with all that they are going through, with the tornados in Joplin. I explained my plight about my uncle and his Service to the Country and the aid gave me a name and number to call, a Melissa Wilding with the Veterans Commission, well, she passed me on to a Mr. Justin Lyles who works for Military Honors Program.

I put him in contact with Shirley. Mr. Lyles faxed the necessary paperwork to my cousin Shirley and she filled it out and faxed all the required information to him and on July 30th 2011, in little Plattsburg Mo.
My uncle Roy received his 21-gun salute, flag folding ceremony and taps 34 years in the making, and on his birthday nonetheless. My wife Vicki and I flew in from Whidbey Island via Seattle. I wore my Navy uniform for the ceremony, it was AMAZING!!!.

Thank you Governor Nixon for having such a wonderful staff with a can do attitude, thank you Melissa Wilding and the Veterans Commission and Mr. Lyles at the Military Honors Program and for the State of Missouri, for being The “Show Me State”, because you showed me how you take care of your Veterans even after 34 years.