JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – They’ve made it their mission to make sure no veteran is buried alone at the Jacksonville National Cemetery on the city’s Northside.
News4JAX first introduced you to the Jacksonville Ladies, last spring.
I got to follow the volunteers for a day to see what it was like for them to show up at the cemetery not knowing who was being buried that day, but knowing they were there just in case a veteran was being buried with no one to honor them.
Because of our story, a slew of new, potential volunteers contacted the Jacksonville Ladies to join them.
“You know, when I saw the story, I was like oh my gosh why didn’t I know about this?” Tiffany Rose said. “It was a no brainer. I said you know what, that’s where I’m supposed to be, that’s where I’m supposed to serve.”
Rose said she felt a calling to help at the Jacksonville National Cemetery, where more than 22,000 headstones stand at attention, across the more than 500 acres of burial grounds.
“Because for me, to give that final salute when they get buried that’s an honor for me as a military veteran,” she said.
The US Army Veteran who now works at Mayport Naval Station now also serves with the Jacksonville Ladies.
Jerri Harrelson was one of the group’s newest members when we first profiled the Jacksonville Ladies last year.
“I just love the rows,” Harrelson said. “That’s how we used to stand in formation. This is the way, if you serve your country, this is the way you should be resting.”
One recent day, she had no idea one of the deceased veterans she would honor was family to an old classmate in mourning.
We watched Jacksonville Ladies Chairwoman Linda Edell that day when her presence was priceless as she was the only one to thank a lone family member, for his brother’s service to our nation.
Edell said since we aired the group’s story last year, about 115 women called to volunteer.
Edell says the Jacksonville Ladies ultimately welcomed 12 new volunteers, one of which was Darlene Altman.
“I don’t come from a military family. My father was in World War II, but nobody else in my family was in the military or in my immediate family,” Altman said, adding she just loves to volunteer. “It’s nice to know that you help people get through their grief. Because that’s the last moment.”