11-04-2025
Fairmont Gold Star Mothers monument receives new flower bed and bench for contemplation
FAIRMONT — In 2005, Army Staff Sgt. Robert White was working to secure fair and free elections for the people of Kandahar, Afghanistan, when a rocket propelled grenade fired by militants struck his vehicle.
White's comrades filed the after-action reports and White returned home one final time, where he was interred at Arlington National Cemetery. He was 34.
On Thursday, West Virginia Gold Star Mothers and the Marion County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution unveiled a new bench and wrap around flower bed to a marker that honors mothers who lost their children to war. The new monument is part of the Marion County Vietnam Veterans Memorial at East Marion Park.
White's mother, Shirley White, attended the ceremony. Staff Sgt. White wasn't the only son she lost to war. Her youngest son died from complications from post-traumatic stress disorder after he returned home from Iraq.
'It's very bittersweet, it really is,' Shirley White said after the ceremony. 'It's because it's emotionally draining. You could probably tell from the other ladies here that hearing the poems, it touches our hearts. Just to say our children's names, it means a lot to us. We don't want our children forgotten, and events like this help us to do that.'
Rose Shilling and Sandra Skar, fellow Gold Star Mothers, joined White.
Malinda Davis is past vice president general and honorary state regent for West Virginia Gold Star Mothers. While serving as state regent from 2016 to 2019, she wanted to do something to honor mothers who have lost their children in conflicts. Davis herself is part of a Gold Star Family, from her husband's side of the family. Later, the state society reached out to the Col. Morgan Morgan Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to see if they could spearhead adding and flower bed to the memorial. However, chapter president Barbara Channell said the DAR decided to go a little bit further and add the bench.
'We worked to create a lasting tribute that would embrace mothers of fallen soldiers,' Channell said. 'After blocks and concrete were laid, we incorporated the help of George Rogers Clark Chapter [Sons of the American Revolution] in planting the flowers and installing the bench. The flowing design of the wraparound flower bed represents the embrace of a mother and the yellow and red tiles acknowledge the Gold Star Mothers and the sacrifices their sons and daughters made.'
White said the Gold Star Mothers organization used to be much more active during the Vietnam War era, but then it dissipated. In 2012, White and other mothers restarted the organization. She said she is appreciative of the effort the DAR has taken to honor them with the monument, because it means a lot to the mothers and families after losing a loved one to war. The organization is a service organization sanctioned by Congress as well, and they try to help veterans in need.
One difference between the Vietnam era and the contemporary post-Iraq and Afghanistan era is that such a large number of soldiers were lost fighting in the jungles of Vietnam, White said. By contrast, the survival rate for more contemporary wars has been higher, but fitting back into society isn't easy, especially after everything a combat veteran experiences.
Davis said it's important to honor Gold Star mothers.
'These sacrifices, I can't comprehend it,' Davis said. 'I wish I could hug every one of them and tell them how thankful we are.'
