×

Centralia American Legion honors 16 vets in Veteran’s Day service

By Austin Williams Nov 12, 2024 | 1:54 PM
Veterans honored by the American Legion on Monday, as well as Mike and Judy Sutherland.

The Centralia American Legion hosted its annual Veteran’s Day service and lunch on Monday, sponsored by the Sutherland family. Central City police chief Jamie Ramsey was this year’s keynote speaker. Ramsey, who served in the Army during the Gulf War, said he was inspired to service by his father, James L. Ramsey, also a veteran. Police chief Ramsey said military service changed him for the better and is something for every veteran to be proud of.

“I think the proudest moment my father had was when I graduated basic training and AIT at Fort Benning, Georgia, because I had accomplished something,” Ramsey said. “Anybody can play football, that all goes away… That feat that I had done there put me in his class to a degree, because now I had taken that step to give something of myself to my nation.”

Central City police chief Jamie Ramsey speaks to his fellow veterans.

Both Ramsey and his father were among the 16 veterans inducted into the Court of Honor during the service. The full list of veterans honored:

Larry D. Mathus

James A. Skibinski

James “Pat” Freeman

Gary L. Laffoon

Bill Bryant

James L. Ramsey

Jamie Ramsey

Norman D. Faulkner

Tammy Cole

Donald Berdeaux

Lonnie McDaneld

Roberta Bland

Charles “Chuck” Fogliasso

Carl Mashburn

Joseph A. Duffy

Zachary Austin

Dr. Dee Boswell

Bud Davis

Cody Rose

Mike Sutherland gave the welcome at the start of the ceremony and called attention to Stockings for Soldiers, a program that sends filled Christmas stockings as gifts to soldiers serving overseas. Sutherland said the program has been greatly appreciated by the soldiers who have received stockings in past years. Those interested in contributing can either donate money for shipping or small goods to fill the stockings (no liquids or aerosols) by bringing items to Sutherland-Garnier funeral home by November 29.