Bloomfield, MO - On Veterans Day, the Bloomfield Assistance League along with Jack Matthew's family gathered to dedicate a road in his honor. Matthews is a World War II Veteran and was the driving force in efforts to bring the Missouri Veterans Cemetery to Stoddard County.
A road on the north side of the property now bares his name as does a plaque at the front door of the administration building.
Mr. Matthews worked diligently beside Jerry Elder, Frank Sifford, and Ray Coats to acquire land to donate to the state. He made numerous trips to Jefferson City to meet with officials to get the site at Bloomfield.
The ceremony was small due to COVID-19. Col. Ed Gargas began with the Pledge of Allegiance.
US Army Sergeant Blair Moran, president of the Bloomfield Assistance League spoke, "We have gathered here this morning on a very special Veterans Day to honor a very special veteran. Mr Jack Matthews is the reason we are assembled here today at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery because of his outstanding work that he did in making this site a reality."
"All of us assembled here today as baby boomers owe a great deal of gratitude to both Jack and Pauline (his wife) and their generation who sacrificed so much," continued Moran. "That allowed all of us as baby boomers to grow up in a country, free of tyranny that Jack helped defeat while wearing the uniform of our nation."
Matthews did not stop with just forming the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery, he dedicated his entire adult life to helping veterans. He created a foundation that helps fund programs that assist Missouri State Veterans. He worked through the Dept of Labor on veterans employment and served on the Missouri Veterans Commission for eight years.
Mr. Matthews was unable to attend the ceremony due to health reason, but his wife Pauline and son, retired Army Col. Larry Matthews, were in attendance.
Col. Matthews was presented a plaque from the Missouri Legislature and an appreciation flag from the Bloomfield Assistance League.
He also spoke to the crowd, "I have always told people that the journey is more important than the destination and even though this is a destination, dad fought a hard journey to get us where we are today."
"When dad started this journey, he decided he wanted to try and give something back to the community. There were two cities that wanted this cemetery real bad. One was Cape Girardeau and the other was Poplar Bluff. He worked closely with the Stoddard County Commission and when they donated the land it all fell into place."
Matthews was a WWII veteran and joined at the age of 17. He was sworn into the Army at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis and went to basic training at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He then shipped out on a train to Boston and took a troop transport to Glasgow, Scotland. From there, he took a ship across the English Channel into France. He returned two years later and finished high school.
"When you think about what you were doing as a junior in high school," said Matthews, "You probably didn't see the carnage that those young men saw during WWII."
Col. Matthews extended his thanks on behalf of his family, stating that the Bloomfield Cemetery had no better friend than Jack Matthews.
Memorial Day Public Ceremonies cancelled at all five Missouri State Veterans Cemeteries due to COVID-19 concerns
For the first time in the history of Memorial Day ceremonies at Bloomfield the annual event has been cancelled.
Missouri State Veterans Cemeteries continue to follow CDC and National Cemetery Administration cautionary guidelines on large gatherings of 10 or more individuals.
On Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, Missouri State Veterans Cemetery Directors will render appropriate honors and lower all flags to half-staff to honor all Veterans interred in Missouri State Veterans Cemeteries at all five State Veteran Cemeteries. Missouri State Veterans Cemeteries are located at Bloomfield, Higginsville, Jacksonville, Springfield, and Ft. Leonard Wood. To further honor our Veterans and include citizens who will not be able to attend our ceremonies due to the current emergency, the Missouri Veterans Commission will provide a video honoring our Veterans on its social media platforms in lieu of the traditional in-person ceremony.
Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was established as a day for Americans to honor those who were killed during the Civil War. It was not until after World War I that Memorial Day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. Memorial Day was declared a national holiday in 1971 and was placed on the last Monday in May.
WHAT: Missouri State Veterans Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony
WHO: Jim Nugent, Director - Missouri State Veterans Cemetery Program
WHERE: Missouri State Veterans Cemeteries Bloomfield, Higginsville, Jacksonville, Springfield, Ft. Leonard Wood
WHEN: Memorial Day - Monday, May 25, 2020
For more information contact
Jim Nugent
660-295-4237
Bloomfield, Missouri - The Bloomfield Area Nutrition Center (BANC) will host their 3rd Annual Christmas Home Tour on Sunday, December 8, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m
Tickets are $15 per person and are available at BANC.
Families sharing their homes are:
Donnie and Vicky Hovis located at 18476 Co Rd 431
Rob and TJ Scott located at 20659 Co Rd 223
Jason and Casey Karnes located at 504 Spring St.
Gavin and Kristin Miller located at 20479 State Hwy AB
Mt Zion/Walker Church located at 20002 Co Rd 510
Refreshments will be served at the Nutrition Center, located at 609 North delaware.
A drawings for a door prizes will be held at 4:30 p.m.
A bus will be available from the Nutrition Center for your convenience. For more information call 573.568.2322
Bloomfield, Missouri - The Missouri State Veterans Cemetery will host a Veterans Day event on Monday, November 11, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
The Veterans Cemetery is located at 17357 Stars and Stripes Way in Bloomfield.
Army and U.S. Air Force Major John P. Myers will be the guest speaker. He is currently assigned as IMA to the Commander, 375 Communications Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
The POW/MIA Table Ceremony will also be performed.
The public is invited to attend and honor our Veterans.
Bloomfield, Missouri - The annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield on Monday, May 27, 2019.
The keynote speaker will be Lieutenant Colonel Bob Thrower, U.S. Army Ret. He is a Dexter Native who was commissioned into the US Army in 1987. he spent 20 years on active duty, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2008. He also spent two years Missouri Army National Guard from 1984-1986. he has spent the majority of his career as a signal officer, assignments included 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley Kansas; 22d Signal Brigade, Germany; Defense Special Weapons Agency, Alexandria, VA; 440th Signal Battalion, Germany; Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Deployments included Desert storm; Task Force Eagle, Implementation Force, Bosnia and Herzegovina; OIF-
Bob has a Bachelors Degree from Southeast Missouri State University, a Masters from Central Michigan University and is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College.
The POW/MIA Table Ceremony which honors soldiers that were prisoners of war or missing in action from each branch of the U.S. Military will also be presented. Gary Kitchen will narrate. Representing the five armed forces are James Adams SFC USA RET US ARMY, Tom Love CAPT USMC US MARINE CORPS, Carl Bess P01USN RET US NAVY, John P. Myers MAJOR USAF US AIR FORCE, AND Justin W. Baker CW04 USCG RET US COAST GUARD.
The Stoddard County Honor Guard will provide the firing of the volley for the Memorial Service.
Families and friends of those buried at the cemetery are invited to attend, as well as members of the general public. For more information, contact the cemetery office at (573) 568-3871.
Special thanks to the following:
STODDARD COUNTY VETERANS HONOR GUARD
AMERICAN LEGION POST 59 HONOR GUARD
BOY SCOUT TROOP 4060; POPLAR BLUFF
HOPE CENTER
4H CLUB
BLOOMFIELD ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF THE MISSOURI VETERANS CEMETERY
