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VAVS Volunteers from the
Daughters of the American Revolution Chapters in Arizona attend all veterans' services. In August 2002,
founder Valerie Price of Grand Canyon Chapter NSDAR began attending veteran
funerals at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix. By November, there were 30 volunteers each
attending funerals one day per month. There are now more than 100
memorial ladies attending funerals across the country.
The
volunteer program "shadows" the Arlington Ladies, a volunteer group
of military wives and lady veterans at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Their service began in 1948. They
honor and attend our veterans "Last Tribute" at the cemetery.
They give a condolence card to the families and affirm that they are there to
give honor to their loved ones who gave military service to our country.
Comfort is given to the
families when needed. Veterans with no family in attendance are of
particular concern. A veteran suggested the Daughters of the American
Revolution take on this last tribute to our veterans in the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Many of the veterans had great concern
that no one would attend their burial. The ASDAR CEMETERY MEMORIAL
LADIES now join the ever faithful Military Honor Guards in bidding farewell
to these veterans. Valerie K. Price, a member of Grand Canyon DAR and past VAVS Representative for the Phoenix area for NSDAR, began on November 1,
2002. As of today,
over 100 women have volunteered from the various chapters throughout the
State of Arizona and over 5,000 funeral services have been covered.
With about 1,000 World War II veterans
passing away every day, the peak of these losses occurred in the year 2005. There are now Cemetery Lady volunteers in
cemeteries throughout North
America. Contact
Mrs. Price for information on this ever changing list of Cemetery Lady volunteers.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Price, Founder or Yolanda
McDonald, current Arizona State Cemetery Memorial Ladies State Chairman.
OTHER
LINKS: Arizona Society Daughters
of the American Revolution
Last
Updated: 9/20/2007 8:03 AM Webmaster, Betsy Jones, Tombstone Chapter
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CURRENTLY SERVING:
(Click on town below to email the Chairman or go
to their webpage)
In
Phoenix, attendance is at the
National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona: Yolanda McDonald, Chairman
In
Payson, attendance is at the Mountain
Meadows Cemetery
and the old Pioneer Cemetery:
Glenda Jo Patterson, Chairman.
In
Prescott DAR
ladies will be attending services at the Prescott
National Memorial
Cemetery, which re-opened in
2005: Jean Pietrie, Chairman
The
Tucson DAR
chapters attend funerals at the local cemeteries where no family is in
attendance: Mary Catherine Romer, VAVS Representative
In
Sierra Vista, they attend the funerals
at The Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery: Ingrid Baillie, Chairman
In Yuma,
they attend services at 2 private cemeteries: Lois LeMay, Chairman
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