Christmas wreaths laid to honor the fallen

Loretta George/Tribune photo Garry Cook, with his granddaughter, Bailey Whitehead, lay a balsam Christmas wreath on one of 30 relatives' graves at Fort Scott National Cemetery. In the background are other volunteers placing wreaths on veterans' graves following the Wreaths Across America ceremony Saturday morning.

A solemn ceremony took place Saturday morning in commemoration of lives lost in service to our country.

The ceremony was followed by placing Christmas wreaths on 873 veteran's graves at Fort Scott National Cemetery. The ceremony was part of the nation-wide Wreaths Across America program to honor fallen vets.

At the FSNC ceremony, a large crowd was in attendance.

The first year the ceremony was held at Fort Scott, eight people were on hand for the ceremony. On Saturday, there were close to 100 people.

"It was a big crowd this year. I was pleasantly surprised," ceremony coordinator Richard Wheeler said.

The temperatures were in the 50s, which probably contributed to the large crowd, he said.

"Last year it was frigid and 24 people showed up," Wheeler said.

Wheeler introduced each of the speakers.

Emmanuel Baptist Church Pastor Larry Stevick gave the invocation and benediction.

Gold Star Mother Pam Speer spoke as a representative of the families of those left behind.

Retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander Matt Jones encouraged people to "remember the fallen, honor those that serve and teach the value of freedom."

Kevin Wagner, Ride for Wreaths coordinator, said the motorcycle run in September helped purchase 655 wreaths to be placed on graves at the site, which was more than "double our effort for last year."

VFW Post No. 1165 performed the honor volley and Steve Harry played "Taps" to end the ceremony.

Volunteers then came forward to pick up fresh balsam wreaths with a bright red bow that had been preciously purchased to place on the graves.

Garry Cook and his granddaughter Bailey Whitehead of Fort Scott searched for the graves of relatives at the National Cemetery, which is not an easy task because there are 5,600 identical small, white tombstones.

"I have 30 loved ones here in National Cemetery," Cook said as he laid a wreath.

Dorothy Hofman was also searching amidst the tombstones for her great-grandfather, John J. Duncan's grave.

"He died in 1922," Hofman said. "My son passed away the third of November, Thomas Large. He was in the Air Force in the War on Terror. I have five relatives buried here."