Plans underway for next Wreaths Across America
The “Be Their Witness” ceremony for Wreaths Across America will be held Dec. 15 at the Northeast Louisiana Veterans’ Cemetery, located south of Rayville on Hwy. 425.
This ceremony will honor the many military personnel who have lived and died while and after serving their country.
The ORLRS-Rhymes Memorial Library Board as coordinators of this ceremony would like to thank the many sponsors, both businesses and individuals, who have responded thus far. The response has been tremendous, yet many more are needed to cover the thousands of grave sites across Northeast Louisiana. This is our dream as more and more learn about the privilege of honoring our military dead.
This year the following military heroes are being honored with the placement of wreaths on their graves:
They are Alvin “Pink” Parham, George B. Franklin Sr., George B. Franklin Jr., Lamar Lane Sr., Claude G. Durham, John H. Hooks Jr., John Branch, Isaac N. Brown, D. A. LaGrone, Joe Montgomery, William Gerry Marchbank, Bennie D. Haynes, Pete Massey, Millard Knight, M. H. Brister, David Cater, Preston Lee, James Otis Bowman, Gene Arden DelRio, R.H. Cromwell, Claude Henson Jr., L. E. Watson, Bobby Lambert, Virgil Crawford. Ted Crawford, Rosa Crawford, Bill Landrum, Billy F. Landrum Jr., Andrew Stokes, Andy Stokes, Donald A. McGaha, Frank Clay, Henry Clay, Paul Clay, William Clay, Noel Harrell, Eather H. Blake, John L. Bardwell, Miles Luke Smith, Tom Mix, Harvey Ross, Lester Caston, Billy Goodman, Willie F. (Bill) Finley Jr., Basil Doles Sr., Fred Hughes, John Huckaby, Johnny D. Fisher, Aubrey Nicholson, Wilburn Beevers, Aubrey R. Trisler, Allen P. Trisler, William Authur Wade, Jim Allen, Z. J. Graham, Charles Calcotte, Burdis Allen, Huey Allen, Joey Searcy, Bill Belcher, Harold Wooden, Lawrence Hamm, Charles Johnston, Edward Scott Harrell, Claude Ray, Ed Ray, Elliot Ray, Joseph Earl Stephens Sr., Royce Lord, James C. Letlow Jr., James C. Letlow Sr., William L. Green Jr., Glover C. Burgess Jr., Thomas J. Gibson Jr., George Wesley Templeton, Jerry Franklin Colson, Kilcrease family members, veterans in the Rayville Masonic Cemetery, veterans in Mangham Cemetery, veterans in Little Creek Cemetery, veterans in Lynn Cemetery-Archibald and the many in the Northeast Louisiana Veterans’ Cemetery.
Thus far, 568 wreaths have been sponsored; 392 of those have been designated for the veterans’ cemetery with the remainder to be placed on veteran grave sites all over Richland Parish and beyond. The Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery services all the parishes of Northeast Louisiana.
Everyone is encouraged to reach out to businesses, churches, friends and relatives in all of these parishes for support with this project.
The executive committee and members of the board of trustees asks that everyone contact them or the Rhymes Library at 728-4127 for sponsorship forms or information. Brochures are being placed in various places throughout our area.
The placing of these wreaths is a wonderful way for family members to honor and remember the veterans in their family, no matter where they are buried. These fallen heroes have made it possible for us to enjoy our many freedoms. Be a part of this program by “Being Their Witness” wherever you travel.