Blue Star Memorial Marker
Dedication Ceremony

Author: Pamela Randall On a warm and cloudy afternoon on March 25th of 2025, the TGC District IV’s Blue Star Memorial Dedication Committee headed out to the Houston National Cemetery for what would be a momentous day. The planning of this event started over two years ago. The logistics of this day required that all four members (from left to right: Victoria Stevens, Tomball Garden Club; Pamela Randall, chairman, District IV Vice-Director; Cindy Heckaman, District IV Director; Terri Cole, Lakewood Forest Garden Club) of the committee stay in constant communication. The excitement and nervousness leading up to the dedication ceremony was based on the group’s fear: Can we pull this off? Will anybody show up? Will it be a good-sized crowd? Will attendees appreciate the solemnness of this event? All this and more rushed through our thoughts as we prepared to welcome the veterans and their families, local, state and federal dignitaries and their representatives, prominent leaders of Texas and South Central Regional Garden Clubs, as well as the garden club members from the Coastal Prairie District. Our fears quickly waned as the children’s choir began warming up before the ceremony. The joyful patriotic music warmed our hearts and soothed our souls. A few last minute changes to the program went off without notice. Our emcee, a former Navy Seal, introduced the Air Force Junior ROTC, the Middle School choir, speakers, dignitaries and committee members with articulation and decorum. With no prior knowledge of what each person, who gladly accepted our request to “say a few words”, would utter, we were pleasantly surprised at how all the comments shared a common theme. Some spoke of their own experience in the military, while others reflected on family members who served. Bobbie Mason, the TGC chairwoman for the Blue & Gold Star Memorial Marker committee, gave us a brief history of the Blue Star Marker and Nick Huber, our own emcee, recounted the beginnings of the Branches of Service. Everyone spoke from the heart; their words carried the dignity of the occasion. The theme expressed denoted ‘what an honor it is to serve’ from their own personal perspective. We must remember that a ’special day’ is made special by the unexpected. The Blue Star Dedication Ceremony was without exception. The ROTC presented “colors” (the flags) at the opening to the ceremony, marching in to set the flags in their designated places behind the Blue Star Marker that was waiting to be unveiled. Unbeknownst to the committee the boys continued marching off to the side and right back out to the parking lot where their coach was waiting to take them to their baseball game. With no one manning the flags, the wind decided to make our day ‘special’ and blow them off the stands. Commander Tom Marty of the Texas American Legion raced to catch the flags before they hit the ground. Another attendee was hot on his heels. The men struggled against the wind to upright the flags and set them back in place. But the wind was determined to have the last gust. Without a second thought the commander held the U.S. flag with one hand while saluting with the other. The dedication continued, the marker unveiled, and the choir regaled us with God Bless America. Commander Tom was not the only one standing tall and proud that day.