A day to remember and honor

By Maxine Wheelan
and Jeff Harrison

Monday was a day of remembrance.

Local residents came together for Memorial Day services in Midwest City and Del City to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Veterans groups led services at Sunnylane Cemetery and Arlington Memory Gardens as well as the Midwest City Veteran’s Memorial.

Veterans Memorial flag raising
Early Monday morning, local veterans honored fallen service members with a Memorial Day flag raising ceremony at the Midwest City Veteran’s Memorial.
Veteran Hiawatha Bouldin introduced Mayor Matt Dukes who reminded everyone of the millions who died and to never forget them.
Chaplain Col. Sam Tucker of Wickline United Methodist Church followed with an inspirational prayer.
Retired Pete Piazza led everyone in prayer and pledge of allegiance. The flags were lowered to half- staff as the bugle was sounded and would later be raised at noon.

Midwest City
The American Legion Post 170 held their 65th annual Memorial Day observance at Arlington Memory Gardens.
Chaplain Rick Doty gave the invocation and then read names of those no longer with us Post Commander Ricky Compal thanked everyone for participating and attending this 65th Memorial Day. The Poppy Girls, Casey and Peyton Templeton were busy placing poppies at graves.
The Memorial proclamation was also read.

Del City
The American Legion Post 73 and VFW Post 9969 held their annual Memorial Day ceremony at Sunnylane Cemetery in Del City.
Gary Grantham, VFW Post 9969 commander welcomed the crowd on a warm and sunny morning. The Legion and VFW color guard presented the colors, Brandi Bowers sang the National Anthem and Legion Vice Commander Dave Horn, led the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Rep. Andy Fugate delivered the Memorial Day address. He said he was honored to be able to recognize two local veterans – Gordon Wheeler and JB Wallace – as veterans of the week at the State capitol.

Fugate then shifted his attention to a local hero who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Robert Kalsu. The Del City native went on to play football at OU and later with the Buffalo Bills. He gave up a promising NFL career to serve his country in the Vietnam War and was killed in action.

“He gave it all up… He traded his football uniform for a military uniform… and in doing so, gave his all for our country that day at support base Ripcord,” Fugate said.

Fugate and other DCHS alumni and community members worked to preserve and honor Kalsu’s legacy by adding a statue inside the football stadium that bears his name.

“My friends, it’s up to us to carry that memory forward,” Fugate said.

The names of veterans who passed away during the past year and those who are honored on the Del City War Memorial were read. A wreath was also placed in front of the memorial.
The service concluded with a 21-gun salute by the joint post color guard, playing of Taps and a closing prayer by Mike Driskill.

Del City Veterans Memorial: Billy A. Krowse, Thomas Lee Burton, Galvin Lee Duncan, Ronald Clyde High, Michael Clint Hope, Vernon Joe Johnson, Harlod Leslie Jones, James Robert Kalsu, Jimmy Merlin Mullins, Gerald Loyd Parsons, Ronald Wade Patton, Eldon Ray Payne, Larry Lloyd Riley, Frederick Wright Sanders, Jimmy Doyle Saunders, Ricky Lee Shackleford, Kenneth W. Skinner III, Ronald Eugene Thompson, William W. Labadee Jr., Gary L. Moore.

Veterans who have passed away in the past year included: Edward Bucknell, Thomas E. Hawkins, James McCall, Mike R. Nitzel, William E. Novak, Carles R. Patterson, Arthur Parker, Charles Reed, Kenneth Allison, Norman R. Barron, Gary Cotton, Robert P. Ferioli, Thomas E. Hawkins, Michael L. Ivy, Wayne E. Leach, Larry J. Simmons.