Remembering Flag-Wavers on Flag Day

We salute patriotic Americans who showed their love of country by proudly flying the American flag.

Patriotic Americans often demonstrate their love of country by flying the American flag, wearing flag pins and planting small flags on veterans' graves. Here are some flag-waving individuals, who died in recent months.

According to the obituary published in the Sacramento Bee, retired banker Harold "Harry" Butler Jr. was dedicated to serving his country and proved his commitment when, after having reached the time limit in his slot as a Lt. Colonel, he resigned his commission, and re-enlisted the next day as a Sergeant.

He continued his service with the 940th Air Refueling Group and the Fourth Air Force at McClellan Air Base until reaching the military mandatory retirement age of 60.

The flag of the United States flew every day at Butler's home in Carmichael until he was no longer able to carry out this assignment.

Washington, D.C. native Robert "Bob" Wiley served as an Army medic during the Vietnam era and became the first African American emergency medical technician in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, according to the obituary published by his family in The Express-Times of Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.

He always served as Flag Bearer while marching in the parade on Martin Luther King Day.

David Eugene Holbrook served during World War II at Ft. Sill (Oklahoma) where he was a Master Sergeant and instructor of troops in Communications.

His son Mike is a Vietnam War veteran.

Holbrook's obit in The Oklahoman contains this intriguing tidbit:

And over 40 years later he still had the small American flag that flew in front of the house while his son was in Viet Nam. An attached note explained its significance.

This post was contributed by Alana Baranick, a freelance obituary writer. She was the director of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers and chief author of Life on the Death Beat: A Handbook for Obituary Writers before she passed away in 2015.