Mother revitalizes Wreaths Across America in Warren County

By Derrick Forsythe, Record Staff Writer
Posted 11/7/19

Over the past few years the gravesites of many Warren County veterans have gone undecorated during the holidays.There are no flowers or crosses to display remembrance.With the recent dissolving of …

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Mother revitalizes Wreaths Across America in Warren County

Posted
Over the past few years the gravesites of many Warren County veterans have gone undecorated during the holidays.There are no flowers or crosses to display remembrance.With the recent dissolving of the Warrenton American Legion Post, a once strong program that honored veterans lost its presence in the county. But with the determination of a local mother looking to honor both her son and other fallen veterans, Wreaths Across America has returned to Warren County.Andrea Romaker, who lost her son, 2nd Lt. Tyler Romaker, to an automobile accident in 2016, says she noticed the empty graves when she would visit the cemetery to decorate family members' monuments.“Since we lost Tyler, our family would bring a wreath out to the cemetery to honor him,” said Romaker. “I stood at our cemetery and saw so many veterans who were not honored with a wreath, and I was sad.”So she acted on her sorrow.Romaker says she was inspired after helping with Wreaths Across America at Jefferson Barracks last year as a member of the Gateway Blue Star Moms organization.“My heart smiled at the amount of people that came to honor our veterans,” said Romaker. “It is an amazing feeling to see that event in person, and hearing the volunteers saying their names out loud as they honored them.”On Saturday Romaker joined a team of volunteers to place 189 wreaths on the graves of veterans at Holy Rosary and Lippstadt cemeteries in Warren County. It was the beginning of the local revitalization of a nationwide initiative to make certain all veterans are remembered during the holidays.While it was a promising start, Romaker says her goal is much bigger. While she was able to supply wreaths for all veterans at Holy Rosary and Lippstadt cemeteries, graves at the Warrenton City Cemetery went uncovered.“My plan for the future is to insure every veteran in Warren County will be honored and remembered each year with a fresh balsams wreath from the Wreaths Across America,” said Romaker. “I hope with a lot of help from our community, in the very near future, we can bring the wreaths to the Warrenton City Cemetery along with Holy Rosary and a few smaller surrounding cemeteries.”Wreaths Across America takes place the third Saturday of December each year.“This project is a major part of my life from this day forward. Every veteran should be remembered, especially at Christmastime,” said Romaker.

During Wreaths Across America ceremonies Dec. 15, 189 wreaths were placed on veterans’ headstones across Warren County. Here, Curt Alger places a wreath on a veteran’s gravesite at Lippstadt Cemetery.

Record photo/Derrick Forsythe

A volunteer helps decorate the graves of veterans during the Wreaths Across Ceremony held Dec. 15 at Holy Rosary Cemetery.

Record photo/Derrick Forsythe

Wendell Webb takes a moment of silence before placing a wreath on the United States Marines bench during a holiday ceremony held Dec. 5 at the Tribute to Veterans Memorial in Warrenton.

Record photo/Derrick Forsythe

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