Chester Chatter: We honor our veterans

By Ruthie Douglas
©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC

World War II had just ended when I started 1st grade. Teachers were hard to find. So older women and widows tried their best to help out. Some had retired and their children were grown. But now they found that the young people were much different than they had expected. And Little Ruthie was a handful and was often sentenced to sit in the hall.

But I always was patriotic. I was the first to get out of the desk chair to salute the flag and I sang the national anthem the loudest.

At the time, my sister and I had only two cousins, and we had met neither. One cousin had served in the Navy and the other in the Army. But now they were coming home since the war was over. The taxicab dropped them off at the curb. In their uniforms they were quite handsome. To this day I remember seeing them for the very first time. I was so very proud.

On Veterans Day I used to help place flags on veterans’ graves. But it is so difficult now.

Daughter Jeanie, who was learning to play the piano, mastered The Marine’s Hymn for her father, a Marine during Vietnam. He said it was the best gift, and it did indeed bring tears to our eyes each time she played it.

In the early 1990s, our brave boys and girls served during Desert Storm. The United States is very proud of all of our veterans. We should think of them with gratitude on every day and not just Nov. 11.

Scene and heard

Keep Sunday, Dec. 5 open. It’s the Chester American Legion Ladies Auxiliary’s Basket Party. Last year, the Legion sold 90 baskets. I have my basket ready to go.

Chuck and Jayne Flick have departed for the Sunshine state of Florida. Their son and his family await their spring return!

I think this foliage season has been one of the best ever. The sun on the hills shining on the leaves of gold is one reason I love Vermont.

All you Andover and Chester senior citizens, be sure to sign up for the annual Senior Citizens Christmas dinner. Click here to learn more!

This past Saturday, we trekked down to Yankee Candle in Massachusetts. We used to make that trip every fall. My eyes just about jumped out of my head to see how it has grown and how jam-packed it was with visitors. Santa apparently had arrived. I liked it much better when it was smaller.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Do you know how many names are on Chester’s Civil War Monument?