Cedar City, Toquerville pay respects to veterans at ‘Wreaths Across America’ events

Written by Jeff Richards
December 18, 2022

CEDAR CITY — Several cemeteries throughout Southern Utah observed “Wreaths Across America” on Saturday.

Volunteers place wreaths on veterans’ graves during “Wreaths Across America” event, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“Right now, across the country at more than 3,600 memorial sites like this one, there are millions of Americans gathering as one nation to remember, honor and teach the values of sacrifice and service, and will lay more than 2 million wreaths this day,” Cedar City Council member R. Scott Phillips said as he welcomed those in attendance at Cedar City Cemetery.

Cedar City News attended two ceremonies on Saturday, at Toquerville in the morning and in Cedar City in the afternoon. It marked the third year of observing Wreaths Across America for both locations. Volunteers laid about 125 wreaths on veterans’ graves at Toquerville Cemetery, while approximately 1,230 wreaths were laid at Cedar City Cemetery. Read below for more information about those two events.

Cedar City 

At the city’s third annual “Wreaths Across America” ceremony, Cedar City Mayor Garth Green spoke of military cemeteries and highlighted the American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines, where more than 52,000 Americans are memorialized with some 17,000 buried in graves and another 36,000 missing in action, who have with their names inscribed on stone pillars.

Cedar City Mayor Garth Green speaks during “Wreaths Across America” ceremony, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“My father was there in 1945,” Green said. “He was part of the takeover of the island of Luzon. He would never talk about it.”

Green said he wonders how many of those thousands of dead and missing his father had known during the war.

“They did not come home. They did not get a proper burial,” he said. “Probably in most cases, there were no children. There were no grandchildren to remember them on a day like today.”

Green said when he visits military cemeteries, he often wishes he could “dig them up and take them to their hometown wherever they were from and give them a proper burial.”

“Instead, I go to them and I honor them where they served and where they were either buried or at least recognized for their contribution,” he added.

“So as we go to these graves this day, pause for a moment at each one,” Green said. “Remember the buddies. Remember the people they knew who did not come home, the missing in action.”

“And then as you pause at each grave, say thank you,” Green concluded.

Cedar City Council member R. Scott Phillips welcomes attendees to “Wreaths Across America” ceremony, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Following Green’s remarks, actor David Livingston, Utah Shakespeare Festival’s interim artistic director, recited a poem patterned after “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” which detailed a soldier’s interaction with an appreciative Santa Claus. Cedar City resident Noah Denhalter then explained the symbolism associated with the wreaths.

Eight ceremonial wreaths were then brought forward and put on display; they represented the branches of the military, plus one for all those classified as prisoners of war or missing in action.

Musical numbers performed during the half-hour program included the national anthem sung by McKenzie Williams, and both “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful” sung by Nathan Myers.

After a 21-gun salute by American Legion Post 74, “Taps” was played, followed by a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace” as those in attendance began making their way around the cemetery and placing the wreaths on the hundreds of snow-covered graves that had been previously identified and marked with U.S. flags by volunteers.

“Remember, we are not here today to decorate graves,” Phillips said during his closing remarks. “We are here to remember not their deaths, but to celebrate their lives. Each wreath is a gift of appreciation from a grateful nation.”

Phillips also joined with his fellow Wreaths Across America board members in thanking the event’s sponsors and the hundreds of volunteers who donated their time and resources.

Toquerville

For nearly 250 years, men and women have been serving and protecting the United States, Toquerville Mayor Justin Sip noted during his opening remarks.

Jerome Gourley talks about his son Army SSG Gregson Gourley, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. “Wreaths Across America” ceremony, Toquerville, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

“And we are grateful for those who are serving us today,” he said. “Let us place a wreath of honor today and give thanks for what we have.”

“God bless our active soldiers and active duty members,” Sip added. “God bless our veterans, God bless Toquerville and God bless America.”

Guest speaker Jerome Gourley then paid tribute to his son, Army Staff Sgt. Gregson Gourley, who was killed by a roadside bomb in 2006 during his second tour in Iraq.

Gourley said it was comforting for him to know that 300 miles to the north, another volunteer is placing a wreath on his son’s grave in Riverton.

“We recognize our veterans, as has been mentioned, on Memorial Day in May, those who have given their lives,” he said. “On Veterans Day in November, we recognize all those who have served. And it’s now becoming a wonderful tradition to recognize those veterans buried in our communities in December. How grateful we are for their service.”

After noting that an average of 20 U.S. veterans die by suicide each day, Gourley encouraged people to reach out to veterans who may be struggling with PTSD, depression and mental health issues.

“Your American Legion Post 100, located in Hurricane, is very involved in providing solution oriented assistance programs to our local veterans who are suffering,” he said. “I’m asking you and your friends and neighbors today to join with us as non-veterans in our anti-suicide efforts.”

Also during the program, Wayne Olsen paid tribute to his father, 93-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran Bob Olsen, who was in attendance along with his wife, Virginia. Both are longtime Toquerville residents.

Volunteers lay wreaths on graves during “Wreaths Across America” event, Toquerville, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

Additionally, CJ Caldwell talked about the military service of her mother Helen Jeppson, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Jeppson died two years ago at age 95 and is buried in the Toquerville Cemetery.

The half-hour program also featured the national anthem sung by Nathan Bunker, “God Bless America” performed by a trio of young boys (Scott Chamberlain, Alex Hardinger and Daniel Kleinmann), and “Taps,” played by the father-daughter duet of Scott and Kaylyn Munson.

After “Taps” was played, attendees went to the pile of wreaths and took them around to the various graves that had been identified as belonging to a veteran, with the 125 or so honorees representing the various branches of service and every war or conflict since the Civil War.

To see St. George News’ related coverage of the ceremonies at Tonaquint Cemetery and Shivwits Paiute Indian Reservation, click here.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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