Honoring Vets By Placing Wreaths At Old Eagle School Cemetery In Wayne

WAYNE, PA —As the holiday season gets underway, the Jeptha Abbott Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is preparing for a wreath laying ceremony at the Old Eagle School Cemetery in the Wayne section of Tredyffrin Township in December.

Wreaths Across America is the nonprofit organization devoted to placing wreaths on veterans headstones at cemeteries across the nation.

It started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester, a Maine businessman who ended the year with a surplus of wreaths and donated them to Arlington National Cemetery to place on the graves of veterans

The local DAR chapter ceremony is 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at 175 Old Eagle School Road. The ceremony is open to the public.

The deadline to purchase a wreath is Tuesday, Nov. 29. Wreaths cost $15 and are available to purchase here.

The local ceremony takes place on National Wreaths Across America Day with more than 3,400 ceremonies across the nation and abroad.

“As direct descendants of patriots from the American Revolution, we are compelled to honor these heroes and all veterans throughout the generations.” said Teri Fischer, Jeptha Abbott DAR chapter regent.

Rear Admiral Scott Clendenin, of U.S Coast Guard, Vir., formerly of Springfield, will be the keynote speaker.

Clendenin worked at U.S. headquarters responsible for seven operational mission and was the captain of four different Coast Guard Cutters, including the Hamilton, a 418-foot national security cutter named after Alexander Hamilton.

Vietnam Veteran Lt. Michael Freeland of Wynnewood will receive the Vietnam 50th Commemoration Pin.

Participants also include:

• US Air Force: Duane C. Parker, Jr., in honor of his father, Second Lt. Duane C. Parker, Sr., Phoenixville;
• US Marines: Lance Corporal (R) Anthony Fillipelli, Strafford;
• U.S. Army: Lt. Col. Mark O’Neill, U.S. Army, Special Forces, Bryn Mawr
• U.S Merchant Marines: William Gresh, state president, PA Children of the American Revolution, in honor of his father, Staff Sergeant (R) Perry Gresh, Paoli;
• U.S. Navy – Lt. (R) (j.g.) Michael W. Freeland, U.S. Navy Reserve, Wynnewood
• POW-MIA -- Lt (R) (j.g.) Thomas C. Deas, Jr., U.S. Navy, Surface Warfare Officer, Haverford.

Members of the Pennsylvania Society Sons of the Revolution Color Guard will be presenting the Colors.

They are Jay Bowden, Wayne; Jon Fitzgerald, Thornton; Robert Flood, Montgomeryville; Kip Gerhart, Philadelphia; Rob McNelly, Collegeville; and Leif Zetterberg, Bryn Mawr.

Named after Jeptha Abbott, a Revolutionary War soldier, the Jeptha Abbott DAR chapter was founded on November 18, 1929, by Elizabeth Abigail Ransley.

More information about Jeptha Abbott DAR chapter is available at jacdar.org.