To help ensure families understand the process when planning services at OWRNC , we would like to provide the following clarification. Families or funeral homes must request Department of the Army (DOW) honors , which include Taps and the folding and presentation of the flag . Rifle volleys are not part of the DOW honors detail. They are performed by volunteer rifle teams. Because these teams are made up of volunteers, their presence cannot be guaranteed by the cemetery or by our...

There are spaces where we gather that carry quiet weight. For Ohio Western Reserve Ladies, many of those moments happen at the cemetery — standing together to ensure no veteran is buried alone, offering presence to families, honoring service with dignity and reverence. It is sacred work. It is necessary work. It is work that shapes who we are. But community cannot exist only in solemn places. Galentine’s became a different kind of gathering — one where laughter filled the room, conversations...

The holidays are an odd dichotomy for me—and for many of those I talk to in this community. While this season is meant to represent renewal, rebirth, cheer, lights, festivities, and family, for many of us there is a missing person or a tradition that simply isn’t the same. Sometimes it’s a harder season than normal for reasons we can’t always name, but it makes this time of year feel different. I encourage you to look for the glimpses. Maybe it’s the image of your loved one in another...