THE US REPORT

by Donna Barrow

The video shows the care given to folding the flag according to procedure during a funeral for a veteran.On January 6, 2010, the love of my life passed away.  It was a beautiful experience for many reasons.  I could not have asked God for a more perfect scenario for the realization of the vows we took over 21 years earlier, “Until death do we part.”

First and most importantly less than 4 weeks before my husband passed away he accepted Christ as his Savior.  He wrote in a journal I found days before his death, “I do wish I could find religion.  It would make my honey so very, very happy and give her peace of mind.  But, try as I do, it just won’t happen now.  If we are both lucky, some day it is possible.”   How wonderful to find out that he had been seeking God for years.  

We brought my husband home with hospice on New Year’s Day.  I can honestly say before he drifted away in the inevitable way one does with kidney failure, we truly experienced the peace of God that passes all understanding.  He said things like, “Baby, I feel so good…It is so peaceful…I could just purr.” 

In the last conversation he had on this earth he said with a big smile on his face, “Life is good!”  Even in death, his sweet positive nature that touched so many people who knew him was still present.  What a precious gift those beautiful moments were to me.

When I asked my husband how he wanted me to handle the arrangements, he said to do what I wanted, but to get the American flag to which all veterans are entitled.  We had a wonderful celebration of his life at my church, but I never got to tell him that I made the decision to inter his ashes at the Jacksonville National Cemetery.  The funeral home told me what the cemetery offered to veterans. 

Coincidentally, Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), whose campaign office I’ve worked in for the last 4 and half years, was primarily responsible for obtaining the cemetery and its funding for North Florida.  I remember how much bringing the cemetery meant to the Congressman.

 I didn’t realize how meaningful it would be to the veterans and their families until I experienced the very moving honor ceremony with the playing of Taps and the presentation of the flag to me with these words, “This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation as a token of appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service.” 

To know that beautiful marker among many will be there as a monument to my wonderful husband with his name and the words I chose, “The most excellent of men,” give me great joy and comfort.

In this time of anger and frustration with Washington, it is important for all to understand serving constituents requires fighting for many different issues.  Sometimes it is fighting against things that threaten our country’s future. 

Sometimes it is fighting for things like a National Cemetery so that veterans can be honored on behalf of a grateful nation.