by Shirley Burgess

DREWRYVILLE
The Memorial Day Service held in the Drewryville Cemetery on Monday began at 3 p.m. with the observance of the National Moment of Remembrance. As the church bell of the Thomas Memorial Baptist Church was rung, those present rose to pause, reflect and honor those men and women from all wars who died in service to our country.

A Color Guard from Boy Scout Troop 17, composed of Miller Zurfluh, Luke Giles and Lee Johnson, posted the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. This was followed by the singing of the National Anthem.

The Rev. Julie Larch, pastor of the Capron Charge of the United Methodist Church, was the speaker.  She encouraged those attending to ask veterans about their stories before these are lost when theypass away.

Wynne Thomas, a veteran of the Vietnam War, read the names of two young men from Drewryville who died while serving in the U. S. armed forces: James F. Grizzard of the Marines, who died while assigned to Korea, and is buried in the Drewryville Cemetery; and Linwood Newsome, Army, who was killed while serving in World War II, and is buried in the American Cemetery in Belgium.

Thomas then read the names of 48 other veterans buried in the Drewryville Cemetery.

Tribute was also paid to two men from nearby communities who were killed in 2005 while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

To remind us that lives with Virginia connections are still being lost, tribute was paid to two Virginia Beach-based Seals who lost their lives this year, one in Somalia and one in Yemen.

Four veterans present were recognized and thanked for their service. Information from an email told of a young man, Dane Balcon, who wrote these words while in high school: “The thing I fear the most is being forgotten.” He joined the Army after high school and was killed in action in 2007 at the age of 19, having volunteered for a mission on his day off.

Let us not forget those who have paid the ultimate price with the loss of their lives while serving our country that we might be free.

Michael Edwards of Drewryville sang Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” This was a new and nice addition to the service.

To conclude the service Brandon Fenters of Boy Scout Troop 17 played “Taps,” after which the Color Guard retired the colors. 

The Drewryville Woman’s Club sponsored the service and thanks all who participated and all who came out to honor “the fallen.”