Norman Veterans Home hosts Memorial Day service

To honor all the veterans who have passed in the last year, staff, family and fellow veterans gathered at the Norman Veterans Home for a Memorial Day service.

Thursday’s service featured a speech from Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs John Nash, a bell-ringing memorial, a musical tribute by Shirley Franklin, “Taps” and even a gun salute by the Sons of the American Revolution’s Norman Chapter.Retired Master Sgt. Roy Parker was surprised by the turnout.

”This is the biggest crowd I’ve seen here yet. Maybe people are getting their heads screwed on right,” the Vietnam and Korean War vet joked.

Following the presentation of the colors, attendees and veterans sang the national anthem, which was popular among the veterans in attendance.

”My favorite part of the service was the singing of the national anthem because it’s a very moving hymn, especially if you know the background… Knowing my ancestors were there is a great thing,” said nine-year Navy veteran David Buckner.

Parker agreed, adding, “’The Star Spangled Banner’ always makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It means that much to me.”

A welcome from Michael Russell, the Administrator of the Norman Veterans Home, was next, followed by a benediction and a speech from Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs John Nash in which he implored attendees to do an uneasy service or gesture in honor of those who served our country.

”It’s an incredible honor for me to be able to stand here and speak to all these veterans,” Nash said. “It’s hard to feel adequate when you’re honoring people who have lost their families, but it’s a great honor to be with our veterans and their loved ones.

”It’s critical to who we are as Americans that we pay respect and homage to the people who gave everything they had to give in defense of our nation and ideas. They paid those prices so that we could pay less of a price, and if we lose faith in that, it damages our traditions and our nation as a whole.”

After Nash’s speech, the belling-ringing ceremony began, where all 66 of this past year’s fallen veterans were named, giving family members in attendance one last chance to honor them by ringing the bell.

”My favorite part is always the reading of the names. There were a couple of times when I started to tear up because I remembered those guys and some of the sayings they’d say to us. Just remembering certain things about them,” Russell said.

”Most of our veterans went to other towns or places to have their services, so our veterans housed here don’t get to attend their funerals very often. To have the opportunity to have that name read one more time, it really brings a sense of closure that honors those people one last time.”

Joyce King, a Korean War veteran who served in the Navy and was known as a dominos virtuoso to her peers, was one of those names. On the elevator up to his office, Russell joked Joyce was “a tough bird.”

King’s daughter, Teresa Harriet, said, “Memorial Day is a lot different than it has been,” but reiterated, “It’s a way that I honor the people in my family and all the veterans we’ve been around who have served and paid the price.”

Memorial Day is a generational tradition for Buckner, who spends the holiday honoring his ancestors who served with his family in Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains.

”Memorial Day has always been an important time for my family. It strengthens us through the years,” Buckner said.

”When you see the graves of your family members who have served in the past and the flags waving on each grave, it gives us a better sense of who we are as a country.”

This Memorial Day service is undoubtedly always a paramount event for all involved. However, veterans and their family members will attest that the Norman Veterans Home and its staff provide excellent care year-round and foster an environment that gives the veterans living there a newfound sense of community and joy.

”It’s important to welcome our veterans into our community, especially our Vietnam War guys who came home to hostility and didn’t receive a warm welcome home. Many of them haven’t had any bonds with other veterans since they left the military, so quite often, they come in here and start forming bonds with veterans based on shared experiences, which helps,” Russell said.

Despite arriving six weeks ago, Buckner stated he has felt at home with his fellow veterans.

”I’m very much new to this place, but it’s been great. I have a sense of home here because my fellow service members welcomed me as an equal. It didn’t matter what our ranks or branches were — we are all brothers in arms,” he said.

Harriet added the home not only reinvigorated her mother but also allowed her to relinquish her caretaking duties and focus solely on being her daughter.

”I was just her daughter again, so we had some wonderful times here,” she said.

Holiday or not, the staff at the Norman Veterans Home aim to provide the best care possible so those who served our country know they are loved and their sacrifices are appreciated.

”There’s a lot of care here, and a lot of connections are built,” Russell said. “Everyone needs to realize that the bond between staff and veterans pretty much makes us family.

”The veterans that are here now, their families, I want everyone that attended today to know they are loved and we care for them.”