Pat Barnhart and Debbie Elliott, escorted by Russ Vereshack, place flowers on the veterans’ marker in Brookfield Township Cemetery. Bob Vaia records the act for a video to be posted on the Brookfield Township Facebook page.
When Brookfield trustees announced they were canceling Memorial Day because of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over social distancing, they meant it.
But, when Trustee Dan Suttles notified the guest speaker, Air Force Lt. Col. Jonathan Sawtelle, Sawtelle protested. Even if you can’t have an in-person observance, Suttles said Sawtelle told him, you still can honor those who gave their lives for their country.
The trustees followed Sawtelle’s suggestion that they take the observance on-line.
Suttles contacted MVP Entertainment’s Bob Vaia, a Brookfield High grad who had video-recorded several of Brookfield’s Memorial Day observances, which can be viewed on the township’s web site.
Vaia, who Suttles said would only accept gas money as payment for his efforts, spent most of the day May 20 filming segments for later editing into a video that is planned to go live at 10:30 a.m. on Memorial Day on the township’s Facebook page.
Vaia was able to capture many of the components of the township’s traditional observance. He recorded Brookfield United Methodist Church Pastor Dick Smith offering a prayer; various township residents and employees reciting “The Pledge of Allegiance”; the trustees reading the names of township veterans who have died in the past year; recent Brookfield High graduate Brady Reichart reciting the poem “Memorial Day” by Michele Keim; Brookfield High senior Haden Gibson reciting the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae; Brookfield Fire Capt. Nick Cresanto playing “Taps” on the trumpet; Brookfield Road Department employees John Welsh and Jeff Stiftinger planting flags on veterans’ graves in Brookfield Township Cemetery; Cresanto and Brookfield Police Cpl. Scott Thompson raising the flag in the cemetery and lowering it to half-staff; and Brookfield firefighter Russ Vereshack escorting Brookfield Township Volunteer Fireman’s Auxiliary members Debbie Elliot and Pat Barnhart, who place flowers on the veteran’s marker in the cemetery.
Sawtelle, who lives in Virginia, taped his address and sent it to the township for inclusion in the video.
Vaia said this project is very dear to him, because he was raised in Brookfield.
Suttles, an Air Force vet, said he’s glad that Sawtelle challenged him to not just put things off until next year.
“There’s nothing more important than honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Suttles said. “That’s something that we, as a nation, should never forget.”
Vets who passed away since Memorial Day 2019:
Finley Beatty Jr., Army, World War II era.
William J. Bicho, Army, Korean era.
Charles W. Bierworth, Army, Korean era.
Frank “Hank” Billak, Army, World War II era.
Stephen B. Brannon Sr., Navy, Vietnam era.
Jeffrey Brenner, Navy, Vietnam era.
Lawrence S. Crawford Sr., Navy, World War II era.
James R. Donaldson, Army, Korean era.
Edward D’Onofrio, Merchant Marines during World War II and Army during Korean era.
Leonard J. Frye, Navy.
John M. Gallicchio, Army, World War II era.
Jim Ghizzoni, Army, Vietnam era.
Eugene P. Goss, Army, Vietnam era.
James L. Gravink, Navy, Vietnam era.
Kenneth R. Hudak, Marines, Vietnam era.
Howard J. Jones, Navy, World War II era.
George A. Kirila Jr., Army Reserves, Korean era.
Paul T. Levitsky, Marines, Korean era.
James W. “Bill” Litman, Army.
Theodore M. McBride, Army, Korean era.
Howard P. “JR” Miller, Army, Vietnam era.
John R. Miller, Navy.
James W. Phillips, Army, Vietnam era.
Terry A. Phipps, Army, Vietnam era.
John R. Schuster, Navy, World War II era.
Joseph M. Sinkuc, Air Force, Vietnam era.
Gary C. Swezey, Army, Vietnam era.
Louis M. Tallarico, Army Air Corps, World War II era.
Thomas J. Varner, Army, Vietnam era.
Guy Joseph Vendemia, Navy, World War II era.
Lloyd E. Wagner, Army, Korean era.
Richard M. Werner Sr., Army National Guard, Korean era.
