The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War presented several certificates of appreciation during the Warwick Historical Cemetery Commission meeting on September 7, 2010.    Pegee Malcolm, chair of the commission, Bob Darigan, commission member, and Sue Cabeceiras, Warwick Planning Department, were presented with certificates of appreciation for service from the National Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.   

Ms. Malcolm has planned and assisted the Commission with many cemetery cleanups, worked with several student groups maintaining cemeteries and has adopted and maintained an historical cemetery in her neighborhood containing the graves of Civil War soldiers.   Mr. Darigan spends countless hours each week in the care and maintenance of Brayton Cemetery, Warwick’s largest historical cemetery which has a section dedicated to Civil War Veterans, including Thomas Vaill, who was a crew member of the Iron Clad ship The Monitor.  Mrs. Cabeceiras is the Commission’s liaison with the City’s Planning Department and has assisted in numerous cemetery cleanups and coordinates the volunteers who help maintain the city’s 119 Historical Cemeteries.  

Bruce Frail, the National Graves Registration Officer, presented the certificates “For unselfish dedication to SUVCW and true and honest patriotism for the United States of America and her veterans.”  The certificates were approved by National Graves Registration Officer and the National Commander and Chief of the SUVCW, Leo F. Kennedy.

“Our Historical Cemetery Commission members and their volunteers spend many hours each year maintaining the sites, both to preserve our city’s history and to assure that the memory of those laid to rest in our cemeteries is honored and respected,” said Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. “I am pleased that the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War have recognized their efforts.”

Two other certificates have been given. Jeanne Knowles has been recognized for her maintenance of the Pawtuxet Burial Yard, maintaining the graves of many Civil War and Revolutionary War Veterans for many years, and Bob Chorney, a member of the Warwick Historical Society, has planned and assisted cemetery cleanups for the Phillips-Moone-Jenkins Lot, the Essex-Congdon-Shipee Lot, the Captain Joseph Spenser Lot and the Gorton-Arnold Lot.

Contact: Sue Cabeceiras, 738-2000, ext. 6289