Veteran headstones and grave markers in Colorado are in need of cleaning too. I'm Trae Zipperer with By Memorial Day where we've made it our mission to clean every veteran headstone in America by Memorial Day. I'm traveling across the United States visiting random cemeteries in each state to raise awareness about the poor condition of veteran graves. Neglected and forgotten veteran headstones covered in black algae, grass, weeds, and other biological growth exist in almost every cemetery in every town in America. I hope that seeing an example in your own backyard will inspire you to get up off of your couch and adopt a veteran’s grave.
So far, except for Utah, it has only taken me one stop in each state visited to find veteran headstones in need of a proper cleaning. Soon after arriving in Grand Junction, CO, I visited Grand Junction City Cemeteries and found a burial grounds making significant progress toward honoring the graves of veterans. The one large cemetery is actually multiple cemeteries, or sections, adjacent to one another with names such as Orchard Mesa, Veterans, Odd Fellows, Masonic, and Sanctuary.
As I entered the cemetery, I found veteran headstones that appeared to have been recently cleaned, but not recent enough to know if the condition witnessed was simply normal for this location. Looking across the street, I saw Snyder’s Monuments, so I decided to inquire about the cleaning needs for headstones in Grand Junction. A nice lady answered the door and let me know she had volunteered about a year ago to clean more than 300 veteran headstones with a group organized by a local man. That explained what I had initially viewed when first entering the cemetery.
However, as I continued to explore the cemetery, the size of the grounds became more apparent, and the condition of veteran headstones deteriorated as I moved from the front entry to the sections further back. Reaching the Veterans section, I was excited to find row upon row of clean white marble government-furnished veteran headstones, each with an American flag displayed. It was July 7th, so I assumed the flags had been placed for Independence Day, but it was rewarding to imagine the flags were always displayed at these veteran graves 365 days a year.
The cemetery office was nearby, so I inquired about the flags at the Veterans section and questioned why some veteran graves had flags while other did not. The cemetery employee was so nice to speak with, kind, and openly shared that the cemetery was in transition regarding veteran grave care, because the older man who had taken care of the graves in years past had recently died. He mentioned another man had picked up the torch, the same man mentioned by the lady at Snyder’s Monuments. The cemetery had provided the D/2 Biological Solution to the volunteers via the new local leader. Most importantly, the cemetery staff member, I assume he was the cemetery manager, welcomed volunteers willing to help care for the graves of veterans.
In this video, I share my walk through Grand Junction City Cemeteries where I point out black mold, broken veteran headstones, Congressionally recognized veteran service organizations, flag holders, bronze plates on the backs of private headstones, and the hard evidence of America’s history found etched in veteran headstones of marble and granite.
In summary, veteran headstones in Colorado are in need of proper cleaning, but there aren’t currently enough patriotic volunteers to clean them all. If you live in the Grand Junction area, I encourage you to visit the cemetery office and ask who to speak with regarding the care of veteran grave markers. If you live anywhere in Colorado, go visit your local cemeteries and see for yourself the condition of veteran graves. When you find that first grave representing the final resting place of the local boy killed in action in Vietnam or World War I, encrusted with black algae and no flag displayed, you’ll “get it.” For more information, or to make a donation, visit ByMemorialDay.com