Blue Star mothers gather at city’s Riverside Cemetery

Published 9:04 pm Tuesday, May 29, 2007

By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
As her last duty as Town and Country Garden Club president, Polly Judd presented a Blue Star Byway boulder from Edward Lowe's Big Rock Valley Farm placed in Riverside Cemetery on Memorial Day.
A committee of Donna Schuur, Jane Winchester and Glenda Gibson unveiled the rock accepted by Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Comstock.
"On behalf of (Mayor Donald D. Lyons), City Council members and all the residents of this great city of Dowagiac, we accept this memorial and certainly appreciate what Town and Country Garden Club does for Dowagiac's beautification to make us the Grand Old City and one of the best in Michigan."
Marie Bailey of Hartford explained that Blue Star Mothers of America Inc., founded Feb. 2, 1942, is a national service organization made up of military moms.
"We have children who have served stateside, peacetime and in war, overseas," said Bailey, representing Charles Baldwin Chapter 177 of Stevensville.
Chapter 177 formed in July 2002 by Gert Baldwin in memory of her late husband, Charles, who served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945.
Meetings take place the third Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at North Lincoln Senior Center, 3271 Lincoln Ave., St. Joseph; e-mail: bluestarmommich@aol.com.
"None of us want our stars to turn gold because that means we've lost our child in active duty, and southwest Michigan has lost its share this past year," including Paw Paw and Lawton, Bailey said.
"Our hearts go out to the families," she said. "Only families who have servicemen deployed know what we're going through. It's not easy, and we support one another. We support our troops, we support our families. We send care packages and attend events like this to make sure people know service members and their families are not alone. Thank you again for this wonderful marker."
National Garden Clubs Inc. initiated its memorial program in 1945 with the purpose of honoring World War II veterans.
In 1947, Michigan became one of the first states to dedicate a memorial highway marker in Mackinaw City.
The program now includes all men and women who served, who are serving and who will serve in the U.S. armed forces.
Memorial markers and byway markers were added to the highway markers for placement in national cemeteries, parks and veterans facilities and gardens. The star was chosen as an icon of World War II seen on flags in the windows of homes for sons and daughters away at war.
There are now Blue Star Highway and Byway signs from coast to coast.