- October 3, 2024
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John and Catherine Ward held a Memorial Day event in the town of Oakland Monday, May 27, to pay tribute to the residents who gave their lives serving their country and are buried in the Oakland Cemetery and the Oakland Tildenville Cemetery. The Wards are former Oakland residents who now live in Jacksonville. Catherine Ward had three brothers who served in the U.S. Army.
They identified 64 veterans in the two cemeteries and wanted to place American flags at each of their graves. Oakland police officers also placed a flag in each cemetery to recognize the unknown soldiers buried there.
Several local residents met at the cemeteries to help place the flags, including Jim Holzworth, a U.S. Navy veteran, and his wife, Jan, who’s uncle died in World War II; Thadd Buzan, a retired U.S. Army veteran, and his wife, Joanne; Lori Newcomb; Anne Fulton; Elizabeth Bellinger, whose aunt and uncle organized the event and whose grandparents are buried in the Oakland Tildenville Cemetery; and Town Commissioner Sal Ramos.
A veteran and member of the Wards’ church wrote his thoughts on Memorial Day, and Ramos read them to the crowd. Taps was played in the background.