Thank You KC-Memorial Day Tribute

KC Torgerson
Iraq Veteran

January 2005-June 2006





On this Memorial Day weekend, I would just like to give tribute to our son-in-law, KC Torgerson, a living Iraq war veteran.  He is a member of the Triple Deuce, a Utah National Guard Unit of Cedar City, Utah.  He served in Iraq from January 2005 to June 2006 as a staff sergeant primarily working with communications.  He left a supportive wife and first child at home to do so.  Many of life’s plans were interrupted or put on hold to fulfill his duty.  His brother, Jace Torgerson,  also served at the same time.  We are so thankful both of them served well and without injury.  There was nothing more poignant or patriotic as awaiting his arrival from his service.  Bands played and flags and décor of red, white and blue decorated the air field at the Utah Army National Guard in Cedar City, Utah.   As they disembarked from the plane, crowds of family members screamed with excitement. So here’s to you, KC, we are proud, honored, and grateful for your service to the United States of America. KC is continuing training this summer in Officer Candidate School at Fort Meade, South Dakota.

Utah Army National Guard at Cedar City
Staff Sergeant KC Torgerson arrives home with the Triple Deuce.





Plane travels through a water arch salute.

 

Veterans exiting the plane.




KC greeting his mother, Dayna.

 

KC greeting his dad, Kendall.

KC greets wife Camille and daughter Teylor

Memorial Day or Decoration Day was instituted as a remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.  It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1858 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic.   A “National Moment of Remembrance” passed on Dec 2000 asks that Americans “voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a moment of remembrance respect” at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. This moment was instituted in part to help people remember the real purpose of Memorial Day.

A patriotic exit from the airfield.

Decoration Day Memories

I walked by some lilac bushes today.  The fragrance reminded me of the lilac and snowball bush stems we used to decorate family graves during my youth.  I'm sorry to say that tradition has not carried on so much in my immediate family. 

Durfees & Cahoons in Sunny Cedar Rest Cemetery, Almo, Idaho

My mother grew up in Almo, Idaho.  She was raised by her grandparents, Eugene & Keturah Bronson Durfee. Her grandfather, Eugene Durfee (1882-1960) took care of the Almo cemetery known as Sunny Cedar Rest, during his lifetime.  She has told me that he always made sure the family gravesites were clean and taken care of.   It sits on the slant of a hill facing east amidst cedars and sagebrush.  Due to lack of water, the cemetery remains in a primitive state, mostly weeds and rocks, no lush green grass.   You might stumble on a lizard or snake and take your chances in the outhouse.  My mother always worried about snakes, yet she roamed the hillsides of this mountain community as a young girl.  The cemetery is still in use and boasts some interesting headstones of the past and present.

The tradition I observed, was families getting together to clean the weeds off the plots of departed family members and sprucing them up for Memorial Day. It was a grand reunion for families that had not seen each other since “last year” whenever that might have been. Mounds of dirt might be piled high to indicate the position of the actual grave with rocks gathered to outline the mounds.  Some groups of graves were surrounded by an actual fence.  Was the fence to keep someone or something in or out?   Fresh flowers didn’t last long in a cemetery such as this but they were a stark contrast to the landscape and provided great beauty.  Plastic, colorful flowers or wreaths worked well here.  I remember going a lot as a young girl, even having an occasional picnic as the day of visiting stretched longer.   I actually was at this cemetery taking pictures of headstones the Memorial Day weekend just before our first son was born, the one that “loves” (tongue in cheek) to visit cemeteries. 

My mother started to build a record of all those buried in the Almo Cemetery.  She spent years on it, chasing down living connections and researching records.  I helped by taking pictures of every headstone.  Towards that cause many trips have been taken to the Almo Cemetery.  Her health has not allowed her to finish this project as she would like. It’s still a lingering goal to get this published in one way or another.

We are related to practically everyone in that cemetery.  But that's a whole other blog!



The father my mother never knew.
Sunny Cedar Rest Cemetery, Almo, Idaho



The grandparents that raised my mother.
Sunny Cedar Rest Cemetery, Almo, Idaho.

Bessires in Sunset Memorial Park, Twin Falls, Idaho

Chester Allen Arthur Bessire (1883-1953), my great-grandfather was the care taker of the Sunset Memorial Park cemetery on Kimberly Road in Twin Falls, Idaho. He is now buried there along with his wife, Ida Mae Menser Bessire (1889-1960).

Chester Allen Arthur Bessire, 1947
Caretaker Sunset Memorial Park

Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery
Twin Falls, Idaho

Grandpa Glenn Bessire (1912-1981) and his two wives, first Phyllis Boley Bessire (1916-2002) and second, Thora Bates Bessire (1916-1994) are both buried in the Sunset Memorial Park cemetery.  Both women were affectionately called “Grandma” by all our family.

Sunset Memorial Park
Twin Falls, Idaho

My uncle, M.B. (Maylon Boley) Bessire (1943-2008) is also buried in Sunset Memorial Park.  His passing was such a surprise and we miss his infectious personality and incredible talents so much.

Boleys in Twin Falls Cemetery, Twin Falls, Idaho

Just recently I was surprised to learn that my great-grandmother, Orilla Woodhouse Boley , mother of Phyllis Boley Bessire, loved yellow flowers.  My dad makes sure she has some on her grave every Memorial Day.  She is buried in the Twin Falls Cemetery, along with her husband M.B. Boley and his father Cyrus Maylon Boley. Two infant daughters of M.B. and Orilla are buried with Cyrus:  Josephine Boley (1915-1916) and Jean Boley (Nov 1922).

Twin Falls Cemetery, Twin Falls, Idaho

Twin Falls Cemetery, Twin Falls, Idaho