(PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
HONORING HEROES … The Veteran Memorial Monument stands proud in Montpelier.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
On a sunlit Memorial Day morning in Montpelier, a solemn crowd gathered outside the Williams County Veterans Memorial Building for the official unveiling and dedication of a powerful new monument honoring the lives lost in service to the nation.
Located just off the Williams County Veterans Memorial Highway, the new addition offers a striking tribute to the county’s commitment to remembering those who gave everything: in combat, in training, through illness, and by invisible wounds carried home.
The centerpiece of the dedication? A bronze sculpture featuring rifles, a bugle, and a combat helmet, rises proudly above five polished black granite panels.
The sculpture and stones together stand nearly seven and a half feet tall, resting in a landscaped plot bordered by a pathway shaped like a ribbon – a symbolic gesture. For those traveling along the highway, it serves as a visual reminder of the cost of service.
Among the many in attendance were local residents and families, as well as several distinguished guests. Kevin Motter, a Montpelier Village Council member, Army Veteran, and a 1979 Locomotive graduate played a strong role in the organization of the project.
When asked about the meaning behind such a monument, Motter replied, “For the family to think of us, while seeing the Williams County Veteran Memorial, to grant us the opportunity to honor him (Bob Walkup) and the other veterans that sacrificed in any way, it is very significant.”
Alongside him stood Robert “Bob” Walkup, President of Veteran Memorial Services and a navy veteran who served two tours in Vietnam.
Walkup has served his community for many years – either out on the battlefield or by helping his home of Williams County flourish with necessary veteran appreciation.
“The sacrifice of veterans cannot be forgotten,” Walkup began. “Veterans are everywhere, and making sure they are not forgotten is the major concept of this whole thing.”
Also in attendance was State Representative Jim Hoops, who offered remarks on the importance of continuing to honor service members in tangible, lasting ways.
The monument’s inscription and dedication encompass a wide range of sacrifices: from those lost in combat to those who died in training accidents, from exposure to Agent Orange and burn pits to the staggering statistic that twenty-two veterans a day die by suicide as a result of mental health struggles.
Those who suffered from brain injuries, radiological exposure, and PTSD – they are all cherished in memory with the Montpelier monument.
The project was privately funded, with help from community involvement, with total costs coming to around $30,000.
The monument now stands as a visible and lasting tribute to the many lives lost in service, both on and off the battlefield. Its prominent placement along the memorial highway and at the veterans’ building ensures daily recognition of those sacrifices.
Organizers hope it will serve as a place of reflection for families, veterans, and the community, and as a reminder of the ongoing cost of military service.