In April, Musgrove Family Mortuaries & Cemeteries (Springfield) announced plans to create a new “Court of Honor” at Springfield Memorial Gardens to remember and respect Oregonians who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Located along the main driveway in the northeast corner of the cemetery, the area’s existing monuments will be replaced with a series of new, polished-granite structures, including a distinguished granite flagpole base inscribed with the names and ranks of area veterans.

The original monument was dedicated May 30, 1967, through the joint efforts of Springfield American Legion Post 40 and Springfield Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3965. Representatives of the American Legion joined the Springfield Memorial Gardens team in April to mark the official groundbreaking and placement of the new memorials. The revitalized Court of Honor will serve as the gateway to the cemetery’s Veterans Garden, where more than 1,700 veterans and their spouses are interred.

“I am sure this will be an important place for veterans and their loved ones to reflect on the sacrifice of those that have gone before us,” said Nick Gillaspie, U.S. Air Force veteran and American Legion Post 40 commander. “The inclusion of new places for the remains of veterans and their spouses within the Court of Honor makes it all that much more important and meaningful. We look forward to having future events and ceremonies at this location.”