With the sun’s rays beating down on them during the noon hour, Chuck Dalbom and Bill Beckett took a much-deserved break on the small concrete wall that reads, “Stella Veterans Memorial.”

Dalbom looked down proudly at the new blue star that was manufactured by Signature Granite and being installed by Beau McDaniel and Dustin Oxendine of Neosho Marble.

Stella’s dream of its veterans memorial is finally becoming a reality. The five concrete paths that will be the foundation for the star that will hold the bricks — dedicated to those who have served, or are serving, this nation’s military — are poured and ready.
The area has been landscaped, and the footing has been installed for a flagpole donated by the project’s contractor, Branco Enterprises.

“It is all starting to come together,” Dalbom said.

The Stella Veterans Memorial will be dedicated during the “Stella-bration” event on Nov. 1. A parade will be held at 2 p.m., followed by the dedication of the memorial at 3 p.m.

“We need to get veterans and their families to come down to Stella and look at the work we have done so far,” Dalbom said. “This might be the place they want to honor their loved one who served, or is serving, in the military with a brick donation.”

The memorial is located at the corner of Ozark and Carter streets, on land donated by the Stella Senior Citizens Inc.

A brick to honor a veteran costs $35. Brick dedication forms can be found at the VFW in Neosho, the Neosho Daily News, the Botany Shop and ACME Brick. You can send your information and check payable to Stella Veterans Memorial, 615 Ozark St., Stella, Mo., 64867.

Neosho Daily News