In a reflective moment after her crew of diligent helpers had secured all the Stars and Stripes waving since first-light on Memorial Day along Highway 89 and over the Orderville Cemetery, Sally Brinkerhoff of Glendale, wife of her late husband Leon, mother of five girls and grandmother of 11, shared some history of how long the American Legion Auxiliary has been conscientiously staffing this patriotic activity.
Left to right, photos by Jerry Melrose:
During the long late-afternoon, Sally Brinkerhoff in her Buffalos sweatshirt and former Valley Elementary School teacher Colleen Sorensen are furling one of the many flags flown in Orderville commemorating the lives of those who’ve served among our country’s various military institutions.
With winds whispering through the Orderville cemetery on Memorial Day, the weathered obelisk grave marker makes its wistful wondering reference to: John F. Blackburn, Born September 11, 1890, Died September 9, 1891.
“I remember a lot of it: like Nan Johnson was my aunt. And she liked to involve a lot of people in a lot of things, and she started this through the Legion Auxiliary, actually. So, and I don’t know how long she was in charge of it. But when she got old enough, then Shanna Frost Emory and Nellie Frost kinda took it over and had done it. And then, when she moved, then my mom, Phyllis Esplin family just kinda done it. And it was kinda me helping mom. And Kristy’s helping me now. Kristy Brinkerhoff, yeah.
“So, my dad’s buried down here. And I have a couple of uncles that was veterans, two of them that are here. And my great -grandpa, Lawrence Esplin, was in WWI, and he’s buried out there. So, got lotsa people here!’ Then, tapering off as thought lost in thought, sighing, “Yep, yep.”
