Virginia Rose Tigh died last week. I went to her funeral on Saturday in Aiken.
Virginia Rose was a celebrity. Well, she could have been. And she truly was in my book. I had to be there.
Virginia Rose was a model. She was blessed with exceptional good looks and she was just beginning to break into the world of high fashion modeling. She was making good money. The world was her oyster.
And then the Japanese attacked at Pearl Harbor. No, Virginia Rose wasn't drafted. The United States has never drafted women. But she did the unexpected. Virginia Rose volunteered. She joined the United States Navy. Her country was at war and she wanted to do her part.
Goodbye modeling career. Goodbye money. Goodbye to a life of glamour. Hello to service in a war theatre. Virginia Rose served for three years in the Navy. There, she met and fell in love with the man who would become her husband. She never went back to modeling. She became a homemaker and raised her children. She and others like her formed the backbone of this country in the aftermath of World War II. She played her part in making my free America a safe and secure place to live. Virginia Rose was a member of the Greatest Generation.
Sadly, I never knew her in life. After she died her family requested the Patriot Guard be there when she was laid to rest. And that's how I found myself in Aiken on a hot Saturday. Myself and about 25 fellow patriots came to say goodbye to a lady we never knew. And then we heard her story and met her family. It was obvious they had lost someone they loved dearly and respected greatly. I was humbled to be there. And we were all proud to be a part of the final formation for a WAVE.
How many more are out there? How many stories of outstanding patriotism? World War II veterans are leaving us at the rate of more than a thousand per day. If you know one of these heroes, please, don't wait. Tell them you appreciate their service. Thank them for making it possible to grow up in a free country. Do it today. You're running out of time.
Thank you Virginia Rose. 'Twas an honor to stand and hold a flag for you.
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