Family of honored Keeper Frank Raymond Lewis at his gravesite. Son, Frank Raymond Lewis, Jr., is on the 2nd row, 4th from the right. Photo by Hobie StatzerFamily of honored Keeper Nelson Stanley Atherton at his gravesite. Daughter, June Atherton King, is in the foreground. Photo by Hobie StatzerDescendants of honored Keeper Levi D. Marchant at his gravesite. Photo by Betty CollinsDescendants of honored Keeper Isaac Foster at his gravesite. Photo by Hobie StatzerFamily of honored Keeper William James Diggs at his gravesite. Granddaughter, Judy Diggs Hudgins, is on the 1st row, 3rd from the right. Photos by Betty Collins Descendants of honored Keeper Wesley Foster Ripley at his gravesite. Great grandson, Arnold Ripley, is 3rd from the right. Photo by Betty CollinsL to R – Tony, Ron and Hobie prepare the Ripley gravesite. Photo by Betty CollinsTony (center right) addresses the attendees at the ceremony honoring Keeper Levi. D. Marchant. Photo by Hobie StatzerTom Edwards, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 66, playing “Taps” at the ceremony honoring Keeper Levi D. Marchant. Photo by Alma PasekColor Guard (Flotilla 66, Coast Guard Auxiliary) and Honor Guard (Station Milford Haven, United States Coast Guard) at the ceremony honoring Keeper Levi. D. Marchant. L to R – Don Connolly, Nick Koch, Seaman Derek Bryant, Seaman Brendon Kerkela, Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Romash. Photo by Larry S. ChowningTom Edwards, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 66, playing “Taps” at the ceremony honoring Keeper Levi D. Marchant. Photo by Alma Pasek Honor Guard from Coast Guard Station Milford Haven and Color Guard from Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 66, at the ceremony honoring Keeper Frank Raymond Lewis. Left to right is Chief Petty Officer Joshua Menges – Officer in Charge, Seaman Derek Bryant, Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Romash, Seaman Brendon Kerkela, Jim Gierlak, Nick Koch, and Don Connolly (not pictured). Photo by Betty CollinsTony (left) addressing the attendees at the ceremony honoring Keeper Isaac Foster. Photo by Hobie StatzerL to R – Betty and Tony officiating at the ceremony honoring Keeper Wesley Foster Ripley. Photo by Hobie StatzerCaptain Wes Ripley (left) addresses the attendees at the ceremony honoring his great-great grandfather, Keeper Wesley Foster Ripley. Photo by Hobie Statzer
Click photos to enlarge
On Saturday, April 13, 2019, members of the Chapter returned to
Mathews, “Virginia’s lighthouse keeper county”, to honor six Chesapeake
Bay lighthouse keepers at rest in four county cemeteries. We dedicated
U.S. Lighthouse Service plaques at the graves of Keepers Frank Raymond
Lewis, Nelson Stanley Atherton, Levi D. Marchant, Isaac Foster, William
James Diggs and Wesley Foster Ripley. Keeper Atherton was also
recognized for his Coast Guard duty in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
The ceremonies began at 9:30 a.m. at H.C. Smither Cemetery in the
Hudgins area of Mathews County. The final ceremony which began at 3:45
p.m. was at the Ripley Family Cemetery on Lighthouse Road, not far from
the New Point Comfort Preserve Observation Walkway. In spite of a
steady rain for most of the day, we had a very good response with close
to two hundred attendees present at the six ceremonies.
Many
thanks to members of Flotilla 66, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Milford
Haven, for providing the Color Guard with member Tom Edwards serving as
bugler. And thank you to Chief Petty Officer Menges and personnel from
Station Milford Haven, U. S. Coast Guard, for serving as Honor Guard.
