VFW

VFW Lilac Post 5815

Lombard, Illinois

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Lombard Cemetery
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VFW Lombard Cemetery Project
2012 - 2014

The Lombard Cemetery, also known as the Lombard Village Cemetery or Main Street Cemetery, and originally named Babcock's Grove Cemetery, is located at 460 South Main Street, Lombard, IL.

The graves of about ten soldiers who fought in the War of 1812, the Civil War, and World War I were unmarked in the Lombard Cemetery as of October 2012. All of these veterans appear to be eligible for free headstones from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Funds are needed for moving the headstones to the cemetery, site preparation, and setting the headstones. The estimated costs are about $150 to $200 per grave. Donations are appreciated, and checks should be made payable to VFW Lilac Post 5815 and annotated Lombard VFW Cemetery Project. The fund-raising program is called "Pennies for Patriots."

Members of VFW Lilac Post 5815 and its Ladies' Auxiliary have been working with the Lombard Historical Society and Lombard Historical Commission, with the full approval and support of the Lombard Cemetery Restoration Committee, on the VFW Lombard Cemetery Project since October 2012. Members of the Post and Auxiliary are assisting with the research, paperwork, fund raising, and handling all funds.

The purpose of this project is the improvement and preservation of veterans’ gravesites and the betterment of the Lombard Cemetery.

Headstone for David Frank received March 13, 2013

Obtaining these headstones is not that easy. Each headstone request requires completion of Form VA40-1330 certifying that the veteran is entitled to the headstone and that it will be installed in the cemetery at no charge to the government, proof of the veteran's military service and honorable discharge or death while on active duty, and a signed statement from the next of kin of each of the veterans (or from the veteran himself) authorizing us to apply for the headstone.

We are proving that it IS possible to do this - the first of the ten headstones was delivered on March 13, 2013, for David Frank, a Civil War veteran who was born July 11, 1837, fought in the Union Army during the Civil War, returned to Lombard, where he lived the rest of his life, and died April 22, 1918. We were able to locate a descendant of a cousin of David Frank's only grandchild, who readily agreed to sign a statement authorizing us to procure a headstone for this veteran who had been waiting 94 years.

On Memorial Day 2013 a ceremony was held at Lombard Cemetery to dedicate the headstones that had been received and were now marking the graves of three of these soldiers, David Frank and Francis A. Aneals, who both served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and Walter Richard Mech, who was in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Headstone for Francis Aneals
Headstone for Walter Richard Mech
Headstone for Francis A. Aneals
Headstone for Walter Richard Mech

During this ceremony on May 27, 2013, each of the three graves that had been marked with a new headstone was dedicated and blessed by Rev. Edward L. Bryant, pastor of St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Lombard.

Members of VFW Lilac Post 5815 fired a 21-gun salute, and "Taps" was played.

Each of the graves with a new headstone was dedicated and blessed.

Five additional headstones will be dedicated and blessed during a special ceremony on Veterans Day, November 11, 2013, at the Lombard Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. Our goal is to have all the stones in the cemetery by Memorial Day 2014.

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VFW Lilac Post 5815 participated in the rededication of this cemetery on Memorial Day, May 25, 2009. A large crowd, including Lombard's Village President, William J. Mueller, was present for the ceremony. Additional photos are online on our Memorial Day page.

Lombard Cemetery Rededication2009

This page was last updated October 30, 2013.