The memorial fittingly coincides with recent improvements to Veterans’ Memorial Park in Lakewood.

“The residents of Lakewood are thrilled to have the Veteran plaque, located in the Veteran’s Park between East Summit and East Terrace Avenues, refurbished into it’s original condition,” Lakewood Mayor Randy Holcomb said. “When you see a veteran, be sure to thank them for their service and ask them for a story from the times they served protecting our country.”

In 1954, the park had a commemorative plaque installed to honor Lakewood’s veterans of all wars.

“It was donated by the Lakewood Businessmen’s Association, which is now defunct, in 1954,” Lakewood Historian Susan Lane said.

The veterans memorial board located in front of American Legion Post 1286 was constructed after the original, located at Hartley Park, went missing. P-J photo by Jay Young

This spring, the plaque came to Lane’s attention when a friend of hers mentioned that it had become worn and difficult to read after nearly 70 years in the elements.

“You couldn’t read what the plaque says. I asked the board for permission to look into this, and (trustee) Rich Fischer helped me,” Lane said.

With the help of Fischer and Department of Public Works Superintendent Tom Pilling, the original plaque was resurfaced by Jamestown Bronze Works and reinstalled at the base of a freshly-painted flagpole at the park.

“Mr. Pilling, it was his idea to paint the monument, and he will be putting a small flower garden in front of it,” Lane said. “I think it dresses up the park down there, it is a nice little green spot. I’m just a firm supporter of our veterans.”

The name of Howard Lane, Susan’s father, is one of many that can be found on the veterans memorial board located outside of American Legion Post 1286 on Chautauqua Avenue.

That memorial has its own history.

“When one of our boys or girls back in wartime either was drafted or enlisted, their name was put on this board. It was just for a short time,” Lane said.

That original board was originally located at the beach near Hartley Park, until it mysteriously went missing one day.

Unable to determine what happened to the board, the residents of Lakewood eventually decided to create a new memorial for its veterans, which stands to this day.

“We did the history on it and we constructed this new board. We had some pictures, and many people in the village helped at that point, because their families were on it,” Lane said.