Saturday marks the annual wreath-laying ceremony at the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, an event that brings families, friends, and fellow service members together to honor those who served.
For many participants, the ceremony is about more than placing wreaths, it is a chance to remember loved ones and reconnect with the people they once served alongside.
Among those in attendance was Jacqueline Wittemann, who came with her family to lay a wreath at the grave of her husband, John Wittemann, a veteran she was married to for 53 years before his passing in 2016.
“I met my husband John in Scotland when the ship was in port,” Wittemann recalled. “He went back to the ship and before he left, he asked me to marry him.”
Wittemann said John later reenlisted so they could begin their life together.
“He came back and reenlisted so that we could get married,” she said.
While Jacqueline and her family were able to honor John’s memory in person, many of the veterans buried at the cemetery do not have relatives nearby. For them, community volunteers step in to ensure no grave goes unrecognized.
One volunteer, Jospeh Medeiros, explained that participating in the ceremony allows them to give back in the same way others have helped their own family.
“My father is buried in Maui, on a very small island, and somebody is going up there to put a wreath on his site,” Mederios said. “I appreciate everything they do for me, and hopefully I’m here doing that for some family as well.”
Isaiah Dennison echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of remembering those without family present.
“A lot of people here aren’t gonna have families to put wreaths on their graves, that’s what I’m here for,” he said.
For many attending the ceremony, family is defined not only by blood, but by shared service. The event also offered veterans the opportunity to reconnect with the memories of friends they served and bonded with over years in the armed forces.
When asked about the emotions of returning to honor fallen comrades, one veteran responded simply, “I gotta wear sunglasses.”
The Horton Wreath Society, which organizes the ceremony, accepts donations year-round to help ensure every veteran’s grave is honored. A link to their page can be found here.
