This beautiful flag case was sent to us by Leif's friend, Melissa Palenske. It holds the full size casket flag that was folded by the Honor Guard at Leif's inurnment service at Bay Pines National Cemetery on April 29th, and his military insignia. Melissa is an engraver and she personally made the engraved plate on the middle of the bottom of the case. The inscription reads:
In Memory of
Leif A. Garretson
1975 - 2008
Served His Country With Honor
1998 - 2001
The flag was presented to me at the ceremony by Leif's brother, LTC Peter A. Garretson, U.S. Air Force.
His father, LTC Peter W. Garretson, U.S. Army, Retired, put together the insignia in the lower shadowbox part of the case.
It is a beautiful memorial for Leif, and we are glad to have it at home with us.
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that is really beautiful. i miss him so much
ReplyDeleteDonna
Leif,
ReplyDeleteWe were at Ft. Drum around the same time. We served countless missions, hours upon hours of training exercises, faced freezing cold temperatures in New York, the blazing hot desert of California, the mosquito's from the swamps of Louisiana, and the Balkans of Bosnia.
You are not alone, you join friends who went before you Tee Young, John Robert Updike, and Matt D. Blaskowski. We will meet again my friend, you will never be forgotten.
Craig Munoz (SLC, UT)
Peter and Geraldine and Peter Jr.,
ReplyDeleteI am so saddened by your loss. My husband and I did not learn of his passing until today. I remember Leif when he was a young boy and you brought the kids to the International Affairs Office at Old Ironsides Law Center.
May he rest in peace. Our thoughts are with you all.
Barbara & Reuben
Baltimore
Thank you, Barbara. We are glad you remember him. Peter asked how you happened to find my blog about Leif. I noted that you are in Baltimore. Ironically, we were in Baltimore last Saturday at Artscape.
ReplyDelete