Daisy Hardy comes to the Veterans Memorial in Downtown Mocksville quite often. She was there again Monday – along with several hundred other Davie residents for a Veterans Day observance.
Always, she traces the name of Roger Dale Howard. He was her brother, killed in Vietnam in 1969 – three days shy of his 21st birthday. She thinks of him almost every day.
“You wonder what he could have been, what he would have been like,” she said. “You wonder how momma and daddy would have been had he lived.”
Howard is buried at Jerusalem Baptist Church. She goes there, too, and is happy that every Veterans Day, her daughter makes sure the grave is adorned with flowers and flag.
Monday’s observance included recognition of all veterans in attendance, colors by the Davie High JROTC and patriotic music by the school band ensemble, gifts from and to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, gospel music by the quartet Risen Son and “Taps” played from a distance by C.J. Dwiggins.
Emcee Mike Drayton said that too often, young people see heroes as those in sports and entertainment. He looked at the rows of veterans seated in front of the monument. “The real heroes are sitting down right here in front of us and should be honored, respected and revered.”