Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

For the eighth year in a row, every grave, 5008 of them, at Fort Bayard National Cemetery received a wreath with a red bow on it, thanks to the generosity of the Grant County community and the hard work of the committee headed by Mary Cowan. She announced that she would be stepping down from the leadership of the effort this year.

Cowan, in 2009, learned of the Wreaths Across America and made it her mission to get wreaths to adorn the veteran gravesites at Fort Bayard. The first year, seven wreaths were placed.

Master of Ceremonies Tom Shelley, who serves on the committee, after welcoming everyone to the ceremony, said that after that first year the numbers of wreaths grew steadily until 2018, when enough wreaths had been purchased by community members to honor every fallen veteran in the cemetery.

Shelley listed the volunteers who serve on the committe. In addition to Cowan, Laura Wiest, Robert and Danna Lopez,,
Gina Maestas, Dr. John and Cecilia Bell, Susie Yniquez, Niel McDonald, Deb Cosper-Hughs, Shirley Mize, Kathy Strange Judith Stanfield, Marge Srack, Rob Narvaez, Mike Gonzalez. Connie Shivner, Margaret Matthews, Miguel Triviso, John Pace, Joe Drake, Danna Jurado, Merry Archunde, Carlos Gonzales and D'Anna Jurado, all volunteer for the effort.

He also noted that more that 600 supporting sponsors successfully bought a wreath so that each gravesite would have one.

Shelley announced a special thank you on behalf of Wreaths Across America and the veterans of Grant County, of which Shelley is one. The committee presented a large bouquet of flowers to Cowan.

He then asked for every one to stand for a 30-second moment of silence to remember the fallen, the prisoners of war and missing in action and to honor all those who have served and are serving in the U.S. Armed Services.

The moment of silence was followed by the posting of the colors by the VFW Post 12212. Students from the Silver High School National Honor Society led participants in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Silver Ring Tones, a female barbershop quarter, sang The Star-Spangled Banner.

Becky Christmas served as featured speaker. She, in 2019, served as the president of the American Gold Star Mothers organization. She became a Gold Star Mother, when her eldest son, Cpt. Todd Christmas, was killed in a helicopter crash in Texas in 2004. He was serving as an aide to Gen. Ben Allen, who also died in the crash.

Shelley, in his introduction of Christmas, noted that she and her husband Brad are native New Mexicans who live on the family ranch near Wagon Mound. Both of their families have members who have served in the U.S. Armed for each generation since the Revolutionary War.

Christmas she was honored to be at the very sacred Fort Bayard National Cemetery, "a solemn and peaceful resting place for those who have served in our nation's military."

She said that her firsthand experience with Wreaths Across America came when she was serving as the president of the American Gold Star Mothers. She recounted some of the history of WAA, which began in 1992 when the wreath-making company owned by Morrill Worcester has a surplus of wreaths and arranged to have them put on graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

[Editor's Note: The WAA history can be read at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/About/OurMission .]

"The laying of wreaths on the graves of those who have served our great nation, is very dear to Gold Star Mothers," Christmas said. "I had the privilege when I was president of the organization to be asked by the Worcester family to serve as the Grand Marshall for the convoy trip from Maine to Arlington. Thus was a tremendous honor and experience for me." She said the 10-day trip included stops each day at schools, community centers, American Legions, FVWs, churches and more with the streets and highways lined with patriotic Americans along the way, waving American flags."I often made speeches and heard stories from veterans and other Gold Star Mothers about their experiences. It was exhausting, fulfilling and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"Morrill Worcester is a man who grew up in Maine and who had an idea to honor those who served and that's why we are here today," she said. "He made a difference. I think I have made a difference, and so can you you. You have made a difference today."
She concluded with "May God bless each one of you and may God bless the United States of America."

Shelley quoted "Our 40th President, Ronald Reagan:"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

He continued: "The Wreaths Across America motto is Remember, Honor and Teach—Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve and Teach our children the value of freedom."

Next came the wreath laying ceremony.

Robert Vance of the New Mexico Gadsden Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution did a sword salute to each armed services representative.

Robert Lopez of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1328 accompanied each person to lay a wreath beside the flag of the armed services branch or organization.
Laying the wreaths were:
Army - Bill Grijalba;
Marine Corps-Charlie LeBlanc;
Navy - Diane LeBlanc;
Air Force- Hal Halbedel;
Space Force - John Pace
Coast Guard - Gene Koponen;
Merchant Marines - Debbie Root, whose father served in the branch;
POW/MIA- Mike Gonzales; and
Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society- Doug Dinwiddie.

The Hi Lo Silvers, led by Sandy Shelley, sang "Let There Be Peace."

In closing remarks, Tom Shelley said, he could quote the statistics of all those buried at Fort Bayard and across the country and world, but "all you would have is a bunch of numbers. Instead we ask you to take a moment following the ceremony to visit a gravesite if you didn't already when you were laying wreaths. Say that individual's name and thank him or her for their service. In that way, he or she will not be forgotten."

He thanked the countless volunteers who organized the event as well as those who lay wreaths at every gravesite that morning preceding the ceremony.

Shelley said the retirement of the wreaths was scheduled for Jan. 10.

The ceremony concluded with the Hi Lo Silvers singing "God Bless America," followed by the retiring of the colors and "Taps," played by Brian Gorog.

To pause the slide show, mouse over the image.