Honoring veterans

For Larry Eads, it’s all about the names.
Going into Memorial Day weekend, he wants to make sure local veterans are remembered and honored.
More than 20 years ago, after conducting a funeral for a local military veteran, Eads did something he’d never done before. After the color guard from American Legion Post 211 of Portland had fired a 21-gun salute to the deceased, he asked one of the members of the color guard for a shell casing as a memento.
He took it home, marked it with the veteran’s name, and began what has become a tradition.
“The first one was Earl Grimes in ’90,” Eads said. “That (the color guard salute) so touched me. I said to one of the guys from 211, ‘I’d like you to save me one of the shells.’”
Retired from Portland Forge, Eads has been involved in the ministry since 1976. Over the years, he’s conducted 111 funerals and worked with 16 different funeral homes.
But since that day in May 1990, he has saved and labeled a shell casing from every veteran’s funeral he’s been a part of.
“I consider each one of these as a trophy for their service,” he said. “I’m grateful. I’m thankful.”
Don Sutton of Portland made Eads a rack to display the shells, then a few years later made a larger one to accommodate more.
“This is not about me,” said Eads. “I just want to honor them on Memorial Day.”[[In-content Ad]]