Memories of veterans lost are etched in Lynnwood author’s mind
Published 6:57 pm Tuesday, November 8, 2011
This Veteran’s Day, Betty Lou Gaeng is inspiring people to honor not just the idea of the holiday, but the individuals for whom it was created.
The 84-year-old Lynnwood resident is the author/compiler of “Etched in Stone,” which chronicles the history of the military monument at the Edmonds Historical Museum. The monument is inscribed with the names of 79 military members who died in service since World War I.
“The book is a tribute done with love,” said Gaeng, a member of the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society, which published the book. The anthology briefly profiles the lives of each individual memorialized. All of them were connected to the Edmonds area.
The memorial itself was built in 1948 and originally located near Highway 99 in Alderwood Manor. The American Legion organized its creation and the project was paid for by private citizens.
“The money came out of the pockets of widows, mothers and fathers and families of the boys whose names are on the monument,” Gaeng said.
Gaeng began researching in 2010 and pored over nearly 80 years of Edmonds Tribune newspapers, U.S. Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs documents, and even had Japanese websites translated as part of her fact-finding. She collaborated with Marysville resident Darilee Bednar who compiled much of the Vietnam-era information.
The results were equal parts heroism and heartbreak. Stories include personal letters, Medal of Honor citations and more.
“When I was doing this book, sometimes I got so involved that there were nights I never went to bed. I stayed up all night working,” Gaeng said.
Gaeng’s own family has a rich military history. Her father fought in World War I and all four of her brothers served in the armed forces. Later in life, Gaeng’s father worked for the Service and Rehabilitation Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars in Washington State. She worked with him for four years.
“I worked mainly with the widows (of World War II servicemen) and gained a lot of experience. I saw so much of the returning veterans and the mothers who lost their children,” Gaeng said. She watched when the first shipment of coffins arrived at the Seattle train station.
“I don’t think we should ever forget the sacrifice that these young people made for their country,” Gaeng said. “It’s a sad part of history, but it’s something we should always remember.”
Learn more
Cemetery tour: Betty Lou Gaeng, along with Dale E. Hoggins, an Edmonds Memorial Cemetery Board member, will lead a “Walk About” tour at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at Edmonds Memorial Cemetery, 820 15th St. SW, focusing on Civil War and Spanish-American War veterans. The tour is open and free to the public. For more information, call 425-776-1543.
Book: Copies of “Etched in Stone” are available at the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society’s research library at the Humble House at Heritage Park, 19827 Poplar Way, Lynnwood. For more information, call 425-775-6267.
