Friday, May 27, 2022

Memorial Day Weekend is About More Than Parades



"Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans and must be that of every free state." --Thomas Jefferson

When the United States of America celebrates its armed forces who have died in service to their country, certain people consider the weekend at the end of May as time off from work. They obviously have never lost anyone during war. My family has been unlucky in that regard. 

On Memorial Day, we remember those who served, but are no longer with us and they include my uncle, Lt. David Lee Johnson who died in WW2; my husband's great-uncles Sgt. Richard Ayers and Pvt. Gerald Ayers who both died in WW2, and my great-great-great-great uncle Pvt. Enoch Lee who died at Petersburg, near the end of the Civil War. The last person lost was Bruce Lyle Badger who died during the Vietnam Conflict. 

We also remember two special family members who served in the Civil War.

Joseph Abner Bean is my husband's great-great-great grandfather. He died in Libby Prison in Richmond, VA before the end of the war. He hailed from Vermont.


My great-great-great grandfather was Brownell W. Lee, who joined from upstate New York. He was wounded at the battle of Malvern Hill by a bullet to his chest. He was captured and also imprisoned at Libby Prison, but he was released. He then returned to fight again and survived though he lost his brother, Enock.


My dad, Robert F. Beegle, joined the navy during WW2 and was lucky not to see combat, but he was always proud of his service. Dad passed away in February 2019 at the ripe old age of 94. We miss him daily. All we and his grandsons can do is raise a glass while we celebrate the holiday with family.
 

The last person to serve and return home safe was our son Sgt. Eric Badger. We thank him for his service often.

p.s. check out my steamy contemporary
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UNWRAPPING CHRIS 


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Enjoy your weekend and remember what Memorial Day is all about. Fly the American Flag, place flowers on a soldier's grave, watch a parade, or read a book, but NEVER FORGET!




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