Veterans Buried at Park City Cemetery Honored with Holiday Wreaths

Wreaths honoring veterans who have been laid to rest at the Park City Cemetery. Photo: Meredith Reed

PARK CITY, Utah. — There are 146 known veterans buried in the Park City Cemetery along Kearns Blvd., and on Dec. 19, each of their headstones was decorated with a wreath as part of the Wreaths Across America initiative organized by Park City’s American Legion Post #14.

Post commander Meredith Reed, a former Air Force chaplain and Park City local, organized the inaugural wreath laying ceremony with help from her family and other volunteers.

“Wreaths Across America has a motto: ‘Remember, Honor, Teach,’ and the ‘teach’ part is about kids and younger people, to help them understand the value of service and their country,” said Reed, whose son William, 16, helped her prepare for the event.

One volunteer, Parkite Bobbi Williams, donated wreaths and participated in the ceremony Saturday. While living in California, Williams said she was involved in Wreaths Across America through her affiliation to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), a service organization whose membership must be able to trace their direct relationship to a patriot who fought in the American Revolution.

“It was nice for our town to honor the veterans…there’s a lot of history in this cemetery,” said Williams, who has nine family members on her mother’s side who fought in the American Revolution

This year’s event maintained a lower profile due to the pandemic, but Reed said she looks forward to the 2021 holiday season when more people can come out to honor the American heroes who have passed away.

Currently, Wreaths Across America is matching donations received, so locals can support the American Legion’s Park City chapter online with contributions  that will carry over to sponsor next year’s wreaths.