Honoring Our Veterans
Veterans Day is a time to honor those who have served and sacrificed for our country. On that day, we lay flowers and wreaths at the headstones of lost loved ones and recall the stories of their sacrifice.
“I’ve spent more time in cemeteries than most, but I keep doing this because I like spending time with my dad.” – Tim Rowley
Tim Rowley, admin services, and his father, Mike Rowley, retired, want to ensure that every veteran is remembered honorably. To achieve that goal, father and son have been placing/replacing gravestones at the head of veterans’ burial plots in cemeteries in and around Iowa for decades. Tim says the effort to recognize veterans in this way has been a longstanding mission for his dad.
“My dad has been doing this my entire life,” said Tim. “His dad (Denton) was a WWII vet who died when he was kid, so he’s always had great respect for those who served. I think he does this because it’s a way of remembering his dad. He would say he does it because it needs to get done.”
According to Tim, Mike does most of the footwork—finding unmarked graves or identifying damaged headstones, researching and documenting soldiers’ stories, filing the appropriate paperwork and getting permission to place/replace the headstones.
“The internet really changed things as far making it easier for him to find information,” said Tim. “Each person has some kind of a story. There have been ones that resonated more, like the 18-and 19-year-olds who went out to fight in the Civil War. It’s a reminder that we’ve come a long way.”
Tim said overall, his dad has placed 302 stones in seven states. He says he’s just “the muscle,” helping with over half of them.
“I’ve spent more time in cemeteries than most, but I keep doing this because I like spending time with my dad,” he said. “I don’t share his passion but I’m happy to help where I can. It’s funny because after every single one, he always says it’s ‘the last one.’ Still, I know he’d like that work to continue after he’s gone.”
Several headstones await placement in Mike Rowley’s garage.
NCMIC’s Veterans Stories
During the week of Veterans Day, NCMIC recognized our own veterans and their loved ones who served. Below is a slide show of the stories shared on the TVs that week. Thank you to everyone who shared a story! (Scroll using the arrows on the right and left sides).
