American VALUE Annual Dinner Held; Deceased Veterans Honored
By Julie Perine on May 15, 2013
Shortly after her husband Gordon passed away, Joyce Johnson received a letter in the mail that he was to be honored during the May 14 Annual Veterans Memorial Dinner, sponsored by American VALUE – Volunteer Americans Living United Examples.
Last night, that dinner took place at Best Western in Bridgeport, with 180 individuals in attendance as 53 deceased U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard veterans were paid tribute.
“It was just wonderful – and so moving,” said Joyce Johnson. “The tables were beautiful with sparkly lights and red, white and blue flags. The speakers were good and the music was all-American, just about freedom and why these guys fought for our freedom.”
Gordon Johnson served in the U.S. Army from 1944-1967. His wife is touched that his service and that of so many others continues to be remembered and appreciated.
“It meant a lot to me that people care about our soldiers, who denied themselves the freedoms that you and I have,” she said. “They put their lives on the line every time they served overseas – and my husband did three times.”
Barbara Jones, one of the event’s organizers, said that last night’s dinner was the most successful to date.
She said guest speaker, Dr. Michael George, did an exemplary job of delivering some moving words and Marissa Bailey’s renditions of the National Anthem and God Bless America were true patriotism in song.
The organization, which watches newspapers for obituaries of U.S. vets, honored the following at last night’s event:
U.S. Army – Donzel Harry Ables, Roy Lee Batson, Blaine Ralston Corder, Ronald K. Harter, Homer Ray Huffman, Charles Ketchem, Arden Lipscomb, James G. Murphy, Robert Law Reel, Frank Scott, Garlan Smith, William Lee Tucker, Charles D. Woodford, Carleton Arthur Amsler, Richard Lee Bruce, Clarence D. Eagle, William R. Holtz, Gordon J. Johnson, Lewis Abraham Lattea, Jr., John Andrew Morlock, James E. Pulice, Donald Lee Sendling, Frank R. Snodgrass, Jr., Jake Starkey, Charles Orlando Willis and James Willoughby Martin, Jr.
U.S. Navy – Ellsworth M. Anderson, Wade E. Burnside, Hubert F. Garrett, James S. Jenkins, James Rex Kee, Joe Lucente, Robert Carl Newlon, Walter J. Talkington, Bradley Joe Vincent, Jackson Garvin, Victor Leland Andrick, Paul H. Edgell, John Walter Jeffries, Thomas B. Jones, Herman E. Kesling, Jr., Harold E. Morris, Sr., Frederick B. Rinehart, Sr., John C. Trainer, Thomas M. Webb and Elmer J. Mitchell.
U.S. Marines – Jay Dee Burge, Jr., Robert Edward Main, Harold Wilson Cain and Donald G. Peters.
U.S. Air Force – Cecil Dan Hollandsworth and William Lee Tucker.
U.S. Coast Guard – Paul H. Edgell
American VALUE also awarded three “Dick Rollins” Memorial Scholarships last night to Ben Aylestock of South Harrison High School, Patrick Ellis of Notre Dame High School and Bronwyn Clagett of Lincoln High School. Those recipients were chosen based on essays about patriotism written by applicants.
It’s been an honor to be actively involved in American VALUE, Jones said. She, like Johnson, first learned of the organization when she received a letter in the mail notifying her that her late husband, a U.S. veteran, was to be honored at the annual dinner. That was in 2010 and she volunteered on the spot to help with the organization’s future endeavors.
She said it’s very nice to meet people face-to-face with whom she has talked with over the telephone and/or exchanged correspondence. She is also honored to continue to pay tribute to the nation’s soldiers who lived and worked locally.
But as she and her fellow organizers are up in years and not able to handle the legwork involved in organizing the annual event, last night was the last honoree dinner, Jones said.
Anyone who would like to get on board with assisting this organization’s mission may call Jones at 304-624-4546 or Betty Oliverio 304-623-5184.
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