Veterans Get Royal Treatment at Royal Palm Memorial Gardens

Royal Palm Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home in West Palm Beach, Fla., is known not just for the abundant palm trees that beautify its grounds. The cemetery, distinguished by its veterans’ monuments and annual Memorial Day celebrations, is a well-known patriotic resting place whose staff works hard to pay tribute to those who have served our country.

Royal Palm Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home has served veterans and their burial needs for more than 40 years. About 5,000 veterans are buried at Royal Palm Memorial Gardens. The cemetery has established three exclusive gardens for burial of veterans and their families.

Over the years, Royal Palm has created and dedicated 14 granite monuments honoring veterans of all wars. Mounted on each distinctive monument is a bronze plaque commemorating one of the following groups or themes:

• World War I Veterans
• World War II Veterans
• Korean War Veterans
• Vietnam Veterans
• Persian Gulf War Veterans
• America’s Servicewomen
• Navy Seabees
• American Eagle Freedom
• Honoring American Veterans of all 20th Century Conflicts
• Honoring American Men and Women Who Served
• Remembering Their Sacrifices
• Duty, Honor, Country with TAPS (13-foot high feature monument)
• Honoring Our Military in the Global War on Terrorism
• Veterans Tribute

Memorial Day services have been held at Royal Palm for over 40 years. William “Bill” Baggett, Area Sales Director/Veterans Director and his wife Beatrice “Bea” Baggett, Sales Administrator, have been the organizers of the event for the past 30 years. The Baggett’s begin meticulously planning the event several months in advance, ensuring that no detail is overlooked.

These elaborate, emotional services honor those who served and remember those who sacrificed their lives for our country. The two-hour events include performances of patriotic music, such as the National Anthem, Taps and other solos and instrumentals, the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, placement of wreaths, a 21-gun salute, honor and color guards, and an address by a keynote speaker — usually a high-ranking military officer sent by the Pentagon.

The 42nd annual Memorial Day service, held in the third veterans’ garden on May 30, 2005, was perhaps one of the most emotional. With almost 1,200 attendees, the service was the largest Memorial Day event attended in Florida. Among the participants were an Honor Guard from the Marine Corps and nine Color Guards, which included all the military branches, county sheriffs and fire departments, the high school JROTC units, the Naval Sea Cadet Corps and the Young Marines of the Palm Beaches.

During the service, more than 50 veterans and patriotic organizations placed fresh flower wreaths at the 13-foot feature monument, “Duty, Honor, Country.”

Dedicated at the 2005 service was the new “Veterans Tribute” monument, its bronze plaque depicting a widow holding a folded American flag in her arms. The granite portion bears an inscription that reads, “On behalf of the President of the United States and a grateful nation, please accept our country’s flag in recognition of your loved one’s service. May God be with your family during your time of bereavement.” Unveiling the monument were members of four families whose sons were killed in Iraq.

During the 2004 Memorial Day service, the monument entitled, “Honoring Our Military in the Global War on Terrorism,” was dedicated. The bronze and granite monument depicts sculpted images unique to Operation Iraqi Freedom and was unveiled by nine servicemen who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Inscribed on the opposite side of the monument is “September 11, 2001 – Terrorist Attacks on America.”

The Baggetts’ work is close to their hearts. Bill’s father served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Bill served in the Army Reserve and the Baggett’s eldest son, William Jr., served in the Navy in Desert Storm. Honoring veterans is very important to the family, so much so that William and his wife, Lynelle, founded Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc. in 2003. This not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to sending care packages and letters to soldiers deployed overseas.

For veterans and their family members, Royal Palm offers discounts for burial prearrangements. Complimentary historical military tours and group presentations to organizations are also available. For more information about features and services, contact Royal Palm Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home at (561) 848-8659, (800) 444-3836 or visit www.royalpalmfuneralhome.com.

For more information on how you can send soldiers care packages through Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc., call (561) 369-2933 or visit www.ForgottenSoldiers.org.