Society To Honor Veterans

ORGANIZERS SEEK INFORMATION FOR EXHIBIT

McDonald County Historical Society volunteers will honor veterans when a new project is launched this spring.

Though it’s been like putting pieces of a puzzle together, organizers are determined to include as many veterans as they can to recognize their contribution to the country.

Work on the project, “Stories of the Military Service,” is now underway. The project will be unveiled on Memorial Day weekend at the McDonald County Historical Society Museum, but all the legwork is now taking place. Organizers are encouraging people to submit their information and photos of veterans by Jan. 31, so they can be included in the project, said project coordinator Phyllis Chancellor.

Organizers have almost 62 entries for the project and are also following leads and other information, Chancellor said.

For instance, Society volunteers knew that a McDonald County High School graduate, who had served in the military, was killed in action a few years ago. After making several phone calls and reaching out to various contacts, organizers were able to get a name and additional information.

Chris Marion, an MCHS graduate, was killed in Hawijah, Iraq, in 2006. The 22-year-old son of Velma and Walter Wood, and the late Roy Marion, was a lifelong resident of Pineville. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on July 6, 2005, in Kansas City, completed his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and served as a combat infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Ky.

Uncovering names and the history of McDonald County veterans is a little challenging, but Chancellor says the work is extremely rewarding.

One of Marion’s sisters reached out to Chancellor and expressed her gratitude that Marion would be included in the exhibit.

“She just thanked me and thanked me,” Chancellor said.

Organizers are seeking photos and information about any veteran with a strong tie to McDonald County. So far, Chancellor says project volunteers have

information about men and women veterans of all ages, some who were killed in action, and those who served in World War I to those who served 10 to 15 years ago.

Project organizers have enlisted the help of the Bunker Hill Quilters, who will take the photo of each veteran and copy it onto fabric. Then, quilters will create a framed quilt around each photo. Each will be part of the display in May, which will be exhibited for two years.

In addition to creating a memorable photo quilted exhibit, members are excited to create a file of important veteran information to be utilized as reference material.

As information is gathered, Chancellor has created a three-inch binder notebook full of names, photographs and information. The reference information will be very relevant for families, she said.

“My notebook may have to be a little bit bigger,” she said, as more information continues to come in.

In May, the exhibit will be featured in the courtroom on the third floor. The “100 Years of Fashions” exhibit will come down and the Military Project will be launched, Chancellor said.

When the exhibit concludes in two years, families will be able to obtain and keep their veteran’s quilted framed photo. Organizers hope families will cherish the photo as a keepsake, Chancellor said.

To submit information, visit www.mcdonaldcountyhistory.org, contact mcdonaldcohistory@olemac.net or call 417-223-7700.