Lea County Veterans Memorial is officially open
Christina Holt/News-Sun
LOVINGTON — Flags rose, the Lovington High School Band played and a multi-agency honor guard presented the colors Wednesday morning as about 100 people gathered to dedicate the Lea County Veterans Memorial in downtown Lovington.
The dedication ceremony was held on the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II, marking the close of one chapter in history and the beginning of a new chapter in Lea County’s history and to honor area veterans.
The idea for the memorial began in 2012, when multiple community members including Lea County Republican Party Chairperson Carol Parish took on the effort to create a place where the sacrifices and service of Lea County veterans could be remembered for generations.
Former Lea County Commissioner Dean Jackson said Parish was told “no” time and time again. But she didn’t let that stop her.
In 2016, Jackson and former City of Lovington Commissioner David Trujillo became involved with the veteran’s memorial but unfortunately the idea stalled.
Lovington City Manager David Miranda was tasked with resurrecting the Lea County Veteran’s Memorial project about two years ago and now it is completed.
“The entire memorial is laid out in the geographical foot print of Lea County. Tatum is to the far north and Jal is to the south,” Miranda said. “The layout memorializes all of the major municipalities in Lea County with their own unique monument stone. On one side you see something unique to that town or city and on the other you will see the names of those killed in the various conflicts going back to World War I.”
The cost of this project was more than $1.7 million for the construction. Funding came from a combination of state capital outlay through state legislators from Lea County, funding from the county itself and from the City of Lovington, Miranda said.
For Trujillo, it was important the veteran’s memorial serve as more than a collection of names. He and planners wanted it to provide an educational opportunity for visitors to learn about the service and sacrifices of Lea County veterans.
“It is our duty as citizens of Lea County to share our knowledge, to educate our children, to ensure they remember yesterday and all the sacrifices that were made,” Trujillo said.
The dedication ceremony also featured remarks from New Mexico Sen. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, former New Mexico Rep. and Army veteran Bob Wooley, R-Roswell, State Rep. Randy Pettigrew, R-Lovington, former Lea County Commissioner Dean Jackson and former City of Lovington Commissioner David Trujillo, who also served in the United States Army.
“I am so proud of what they accomplished here. So many of our miliary have been forgotten,” Gallegos said. “I never served but I understand what my freedom means and the sacrifice it took to get our freedom. It gives me great pride that we bring your money back from Santa Fe to do something of importance. We will always remember those that served us with their lives.”
Wooley said: “This monument carries the heartbeat of everyone who’s ever loved someone in uniform. Every name that’s etched in headstones throughout our nation and overseas tells us a story of courage. These were ordinary people who answered a call to do extraordinary things. They walked into danger so that we might walk in peace. They wore the uniform of our nation carrying a heavy burden of freedom on their shoulders. Some returned home to build families, have careers and grow old. I was fortunate to be one of those. But others stayed behind. Freedom is not a permanent gift.”
Pettigrew said: “To the veterans joining us today, thank you. Thank you for your service, for your courage, your sacrifice and your unwavering devotion to our country. We owe you a debt we can never repay. May this memorial stand as unyielding reminder to the cost of our freedom. May it be a place of healing for those who return from battle and a place of education for generations to come.”
Miranda thanked multiple people who were involved with the project, including Carol Parish, Charles Ferbrache, Bobby Cox, Charles Beasley, Leslie Boldt, Mike Gallagher, James Williams, David Minton, Jeff Stuart and Harold Lawson.
The Lea County Veterans Memorial is located at 115 S. East Street in downtown Lovington, directly south of the Fifth Judicial District Court complex.
