WWI

Margaret Hayes Cleary
Mother of
Matthew Thomas Cleary

WWII

Pearl Ball
Mother of
George W. Ball

Ella Burt
Mother of
Franklin D. Burt

Gretchen Clary
Mother of
D. Martin Clary

Edith Davin
Mother of
James G. Davin

Jenny Davis
Mother of
Borden D. Davis

Grace Carey
Mother of
Arthur W. Fontaine

Catherine Frazo
Mother of
Andrew J. Frazo

Margaret Johnson
Mother of
Earnest L. Johnson

Mabel Lamb
Mother of
William John Lamb

Susanne Macy
Mother of
Morgan Macy

Teresa Zuffranieri Rapone
Mother of
Patsy A. Rapone

Lucile Rowe Swarts
Mother of
Glen W. Swarts
and
Milton W. Swarts

Ada Tenney
Mother of
George J. Tenney

Korea

Nancy Bartalo
Mother of
Michael Bartalo

Jessie Loomis
Mother of
Otis W. Loomis

Viet Nam

Lila DeVelder
Mother of
David T. Fellows

Cecil Knickerbocker
Mother of
Irwin L. Knickerbocker

Claribel Sickles
Mother of
Robert P. Sickles

 

Memorial Day 2008
Matthew Cleary Post 255 Ladies Auxiliary
presented the above plaque to the Post

   The Gold Star Mothers was founded by Grace Darling Seibold of Washington, D.C. Her son, First Lieutenant George Vaughn Seibold, was killed in aerial combat over France in August, 1918. Mrs. Seibold was already doing volunteer service in veteran's hospitals. After her son's death, she continued this work, and also began organizing a group of other women who had lost their sons in the war. The mothers did volunteer work together, and served as a support network for one another.

   On June 4, 1928, the members of the club decided to establish it as a national organization. They incorporated in Washington DC under the name of American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. At the time, the club had sixty five members, but this number soon increased as more women learned about the national organization.

   Today, membership in the Gold Star Mothers is open to any American woman whose child has died in the line of duty of the United States Armed Forces. Stepmothers and adoptive mothers are eligible for membership under certain circumstances. Husbands of Gold Star Mothers may become Associate Members, who do not vote.

   Just as when it was founded, the Gold Star Mothers continues to concentrate on providing emotional support to its members, doing volunteer work with veterans in general and veterans' hospitals in particular, and generally fostering a sense of patriotism and respect for members of the Armed Forces.

   In 1936 Congress designated the last Sunday in September as "Gold Star Mother’s Day" and it shall be the duty of the President to request its observance as provided for in that resolution.