Wall of Honor to Be Presented on Veterans Day in West Roxbury

Carol Kelly knows the true meaning of Veterans Day all too well.

The Director of Residential Life at the German Centre for Extended Care in West Roxbury is a military wife and a mother of three military veterans.

Her oldest son Sean, served four years in Iraq; her middle son, Eric served five years in Afghanistan; and her daughter currently serves in the Army.

“It’s very important to spread awareness of what our military has done for our country,” she said.  “It’s to bring awareness to what Veterans Day truly means.”

Kelly along with German Centre CEO Gregory Carr created a Wall of Honor highlighting military photos of the German Centre’s residents who range between the ages of 70 to 105 years-old. 

“We both said why aren’t we recognizing these veterans?” Carr said. “The group that we service- this is their generation, World War II and Korea.  It’s nice to be able to recognize the veterans.”

This is the third year the Centre has created the wall as a way for the senior citizens to show their friends and family that they have impacted the country. 

Some photos are of residents in uniform,  others are residents and employees’ family members who have served.

“They’re so honored and proud to show off what they have done,” Kelly said.  “A lot of that generation back done doesn’t talk a lot about it.”

The wall will be presented as part of a ribbon-cutting dedication on Monday which is expected to be attended by many special guests including, Richie Gormley of the VFW ,  State Senator Mike Rush, State Rep. Ed Coppinger,  and Paul Fitzgerald, Superintendent of the Boston Police Department Bureau of Intelligence.

New this year will be Master Sergeant Jonathan Braca of the US Marines Wounded Warrior Regiment, and  Sue Lado, a Registered Nurse of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, who will also be speakers. 

The Keynote speaker this year will be Francisco Urena , the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs.

“We felt that he brought two different view points for us: one as a marine and the other as the highest person in the city of Boston representing Boston,” Karr said.

Monday’s event begins at 10:30 am. at the Deutsches Altenheim German Centre and the public is encouraged to attend.