When I first became involved with VFW Post 1, two of the more memorable personalities I met were Ray and Mona Starkey. We lost Mona back in 2010 and just this past year we lost Ray. The three of us had a special connection. Mona and I shared the same birthday of March 1. It was always a race to see who would call the other first to say Happy Birthday. More often than not, she won. Following her passing, Ray and I had an annual tradition of visiting Mona on March 1. I would bring flowers and afterwards, he would buy me lunch. It was a great way to mark the occasion but last year and the first time in 7 years, Ray wasn’t there.

To begin the story, we have to go back 15 years. Early in 2003 as a few of us who were younger Vets became very involved with the Post following some mismanagement of the Post - not due to malice but due to lack of business sense - and I had my first interaction with Mona and Ray.

There’s is a story that speaks volumes to the legacy that Post 1 represents. Both World War II Vets - Mona as a member of the WAC with deployments to China, India and Burma and Ray in the Navy in the American Theater and later in the Pacific where he took place in the invasion of Okinawa. Ray joined Post 1 in 1951 and when he was sworn in, it was by one of the original founders who was there in 1899. Mona wasn’t allowed to join the VFW at first but they did let her into the Ladies Auxiliary. VFW Post 1 became the center of their social lives with Ray becoming a key member of their color guard and Mona displaying her NCO leadership within the Aux. It was thus fate as the two met at a VFW dance - back when that happened quite often.

They were married in 1964 and Ray always said they married for better and for worse - he got the better and she got the worst. In 1978 the VFW finally allowed women to become members and Mona was the first woman to join Post 1. Ray was the Post Chaplain for over 30 years and Mona was the backbone of both the Post and the Auxiliary.

I remember when we assumed leadership in 2003 scrubbing out the bathrooms with Mona and her sharp wit. She was a character. So was Ray. I miss them both.

This year, on my birthday - two of my friends from Post 1 kept the tradition alive. Eryth Zecher and Malcolm Walker joined me as we put flowers on their graves which are side by side at the Post 1 plot at Fairmount Cemetery. Then they took me to lunch just as Ray had always done.

That’s the strength of Post 1 and that’s also the strength of many of our VSOs out there. Friends doing things with one another, remembering our past and celebrating our current lives. Whether they be old and young, young and young or old and old (even middle age and middle age). It’s important we keep the chain going that connects all of us and by doing so, we honor men and women like Ray and Mona.

Me with Eryth and Malcolm continuing the tradition