Remembering Fallen Heroes of Floyd

We attended a Memorial Day service at the Zion Lutheran Church cemetery to honor some of Floyd's military veterans who served our country ever since it was founded.
 
Under somber skies, a color guard composed of American Legion/VFW, Sons of the American
Revolution and Sons of Confederate Veterans posted the colors behind a full-scale model of the granite monument which will be installed later this year.

After the Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all, Pastor Richard Giessler gave the Invocation. It was an inspiring and memorable speech that brought tears to our eyes.

Miss Malory Coartney read the Oratory and Thomas King, SMSGT, USAF (retired) began reading the Roll Call of the Fallen. The names included veterans of almost every war since the Revolutionary War.

It seemed entirely appropriate that a light rain began falling as the names of the Fallen were being read. It continued during the 21-gun salute by the VFW/American Legion rifle squad and the sounding of Taps by the American Legion bugler.

The Benediction by Pastor Giessler was followed by the Retiring of the Colors.

It was a fitting way to give thanks to those who have served to uphold our way of life.

The granite monument to be installed on this spot later this year is the result of a project sponsored by the Zion Cemetery Committee:  Woody Farley, Sue  Quesinberry, Bill Gardner, Rhonda Daiber, Pat Burton, and Thomas King.  Tom King is the project coordinator.

Every good idea starts with one person, and this monument project started when retired Senior Master Sergeant Thomas King discovered grave sites that went back to the Revolutionary War in an older part of the cemetery at Zion Lutheran Church.

One of these graves belonged to Private George Sowers who served in the Revolutionary War. He was born in 1750 and died in March 18, 1834.

Tom King started asking questions about the old cemetery and found that the records were incomplete. He joined the Zion Cemetery Committee and enlisted the help of organizations like the DAR, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of the Revolution to help him locate information on the veterans buried in the old cemetery.

More people got involved and the idea of a monument was born. You can read about this project on the project website: fallenheroesoffloyd.org