More than 100 Veterans memorialized at Last Roll Call on Nov. 12, 2022.
Associate Director Alicia Miller began the Last Roll Call ceremony on Sat., Nov. 12, by invoking the words of Abraham Lincoln.
“Today, we honor not only he who bore the battle, but also his widow and his orphans,” she said.
Last Roll Call is a memorial service honoring Veterans who have passed away and is a longstanding tradition at many VAMCs across the nation.
It is typically held once or twice per year and attended by 50-100 family members, friends, and comrades-in-arms of recently deceased Veterans.
The Nov. 12 event had not been held since 2019 due to the threats posed by COVID. Roughly 550 people turned out to remember and celebrate the lives of Veterans who passed away over the past three years.
Susan Bishop and her daughter Sarah Knotts attended to honor husband and father Walter Bishop, a U.S. Navy Veteran.
“I love it,” Bishop said of the event. “It is amazing to see all these people who have come to honor their loved ones.”
After delivering the Soldier’s Psalm, Chaplain Stephen Morgan read the names of more than 100 Veterans who had passed.
“You could feel a catharsis as their sacrifices were formally recognized,” said Ch. Morgan.
Warm thanks to the Chaplain Service and the many volunteers who made this event a success.