A cold breeze kept the flags proudly waving Saturday as the Welcome W. Chandler Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas presented a ceremony honoring hundreds of veterans buried at Greenleaf Cemetery.
The Brownwood event was part of the International Wreaths Across America Day ceremonies held around the world to honor fallen American veterans. The Brownwood DRT embraced their Texas heritage in the Greenleaf Cemetery ceremony with the posting of the colors on horseback. Jeff Meadow fired a three-volley cannon salute, Brownwood High School Senior Marc Isquirdeo played Taps and keynote speaker Army Captain Paul Wade told the audience that veterans are a family and brothers-in-arms forever.
Wade, a Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, remarked on the fellow veterans he found when recently walking through historic Greenleaf Cemetery.
“I found the grave of Corporal Willard Perry,” he reported. Perry was in the 9th Infantry Division, the same as Wade. “We were in the same war, in the same division, fought in the same battles, and I didn’t know him, but we are brothers,” Wade said. Wade survived 1,550 missions. Perry died in Vietnam.
When Wade declared his fellow veterans to be family, he noticed that veterans in the audience looked at one another and then at him and nodded.
“We are a family of people who agreed to serve,” he said. He found a lot of family members in his walk around the cemetery.
Greenleaf Cemetery is full of veterans from wars including Texas Revolution veteran Noah T. Byars. Sam Houston appointed Byars as armorer and blacksmith of the Texas army. In fact, the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed in Byars’ blacksmith shop. Byars was also a pioneer Baptist preacher. In his old age Byars served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Brownwood. His last full charge was at Clear Creek Baptist, Brown County, in 1884.
Wade said he was intrigued to see Buffalo Soldiers’ graves at Greenleaf, as well as veterans from the American Indian Wars and Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, known officially as the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt (USV).
Dr. Julie Welker, president of Brownwood DRT chapter, said her goal is to honor the more than 1,700 graves with a Christmas wreath next year.
Wade said, yes, it is important to never forget our veterans’ memories and acknowledge their service. He believes it is even more important for living veterans to see their fallen family honored with wreaths.
Noting that the tradition of wreaths dates from the ancient Greeks, Wade said wreaths represent victory, achievement, status and a circle of eternal life.
DRT president Welker announced that now is a great time to donate to the Greenleaf wreath sponsorship campaign. From now until Jan. 15, WAA will match all wreath sponsorships.
Wreath sponsorships are underway for December, 2022, Welker reported. Two hundred wreaths have already been donated to the effort.
Wreaths are $15 each. Contact Mary Lee Bailey Shelton at 575-644-5121, or [email protected] for information on how to sponsor wreaths.
Daughters of the Republic of Texas is a lineal association dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the founding families and soldiers of the Republic of Texas. DRT’s founding members saved the Alamo from deterioration and destruction. For information on becoming a member of the local chapter of DRT, contact Welker at [email protected].
