‘He was a part of our lives:' Loved ones memorialized in granite at KC's WWI Museum
An engraved heart helped Martha Burt spot the newly installed brick honoring her late husband, Gene, out of the almost 10,000 memorial blocks at the National World War I Museum and Memorial.
Martha's three adult daughters surprised her with the brick to honor their dad, a longtime museum volunteer. The group braved a persistent drizzle to attend the Memorial Day dedication for new engraved granite blocks on the museum's Walk of Honor.
The family remembered Gene Burt putting on his blue volunteer shirt and stopping for QuikTrip donuts on his way to the museum every week.
A history lover, Gene had volunteered more than 2,000 hours before he died of cancer last spring. Some of Gene's fellow 'Thursday group' volunteers attended his funeral.
Martha teared up sharing her memories of her husband telling visitors about the poppies in the museum lobby.
'He loved the people coming in and saying something to them to help their stay, and help them enjoy it,' she said.
The Walk of Honor dedication allowed the Burt family to remember their father and husband.
'He was a part of our lives. The biggest part,' Martha said.
Civilians, like Gene Burt, and veterans alike are honored on the Liberty Memorial's Walk of Honor.
Approximately 300 people attended the dedication ceremony, which took place in the auditorium and spilled out into a full overflow room. The ceremony included speeches and a slideshow of each person honored on the 97 granite bricks, which start at $300.
People come to the Liberty Memorial solely to see their loved ones on the bricks, said Karis Erwin, vice president of marketing and guest service for the museum.
She spoke of a family member attending Monday's event, which helped bring a ceremonial end to his time serving in the Vietnam War.
'For him to have an opportunity to honor that commitment that he made so many decades ago, and to have a room full of people celebrating that, I think is really great closure for him,' Erwin said.
Memorial Day marks the beginning of the busy months for the National World War I Museum and Memorial. During the summer, the museum sees many out of town visitors, after three seasons of mostly school groups and local visitors.
This year local visitors will get a summer deal. From June 1 through Sept. 1, Kansas City area residents can purchase discounted $10 tickets that grant access to the main museum, special exhibits and the Liberty Memorial observation deck.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Today is Juneteenth: Is there mail? Are banks closed? What to know about federal holiday
Today is Juneteenth: Is there mail? Are banks closed? What to know about federal holiday Show Caption Hide Caption New Yorkers honor lost African American holiday older than Juneteenth An African American holiday older than Juneteenth was almost lost. These New Yorkers are bringing back Pinkster, which was outlawed in the 1800s. Juneteenth will be marked on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Juneteenth commemorates the day — June 19, 1865 — when federal soldiers arrived in Galveston to take control of Texas and ensure the slaves were freed per the Emancipation Proclamation. It's known as America's Second Independence Day, and it's celebrated today, June 19. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. It's the longest-running African American holiday, and it became a federal holiday a few years ago. Juneteenth celebrations across the High Desert will include food, music, dancing, art and other activities. Here's what to know about the holiday. Is Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2025? Yes, Juneteenth is a federal holiday in 2025, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. It is one of 11 federal holidays observed every year. The others are: New Year's Day Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Washington's Birthday/Presidents Day Memorial Day July 4 Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Christmas Day When is Juneteenth observed in 2025? Juneteenth will be marked on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Unlike other federal holidays, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving, which are observed on a specific day of the week, Juneteenth is celebrated on the actual day. What does Juneteenth celebrate? Juneteenth commemorates the day — June 19, 1865 — when federal soldiers arrived in Galveston to take control of Texas and ensure the slaves were freed per the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the History Channel. Juneteenth — short for June nineteenth — marks the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. Why is it called Juneteenth? Juneteenth is a portmanteau of June 19, the day Union troops arrived in Galveston. It became known as "Juneteenth" by the newly freed slaves of Texas, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture at the Smithsonian. When did Abraham Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation? President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. But its effect was limited, according to the National Archives. It only applied to states that seceded during the Civil War, leaving slavery intact for slave states that stayed with the Union. It also could not be enforced until Confederate states were under Union control, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Therefore, it took until June 19, 1865, for slaves in Texas to be freed. Slavery in America was formally abolished with the 13th Amendment, which was ratified Dec. 6, 1865. When did Juneteenth become a federal holiday? Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. President Joe Biden signed legislation on June 17, 2021, according to USA TODAY, after Congress passed The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act that same month. Juneteenth began rising to prominence in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, sparked protests across the country against police brutality, USA TODAY reports. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., first introduced the Juneteenth bill in 2020 following the killings of Floyd and Breonna Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky. His initial attempt to pass the bill was unsuccessful. Is there mail delivery on Juneteenth? Is the post office open? Does FedEx deliver? No. As a federal holiday, the U.S. Postal Service is closed that day, and there will be no mail delivered. FedEx pickup and delivery services will be available on June 19, according to the company's website. FedEx Office locations will also be open, USA TODAY reports. Are banks open on Juneteenth? Juneteenth is a Federal Reserve bank holiday, meaning the organization that regulates the nation's banking system is closed, according to Banks aren't required to close for Federal Reserve holidays, but they often do. Transactions made during these holidays won't be posted until the next business day. Branches of Capital One, Bank of America, PNC, Truist, CitiBank and JPMorgan Chase will be closed on Juneteenth, USA TODAY is reporting. Capital One Cafes will remain open. Is the stock market open or closed on Juneteenth? The New York Stock Exchange is closed on federal holidays and will be closed on Juneteenth, according to its website. Is trash pickup delayed for Juneteenth? Trash pickup may be delayed because of Juneteenth, depending on the hauler. Contact your municipality or private provider to learn more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Woman Worries Her 40-Year-Old 'Big Mama's Boy' Husband Will Never Be Independent
A woman worries her husband, who's a "big mamma's boy," will never be independent In a post on Reddit, she writes that his mom weighs in on everything from his 401k to "what soap cleaner is best" "A few months ago I told him his mother is a dealbreaker, but I'm not confident he will ever truly be independent," she writesA woman says her 40-year-old husband is so reliant on his mom that she's worried he'll never be truly independent. The woman shares her dilemma in a Reddit post, writing, "My (35F) husband (40M) is a big mamma's boy. He hid this for the six years we were long distance." "He needs her opinion in every small and big thing and texts and calls daily (401k for new job, will boxes fit in the car for a move, what soap cleaner is best)," she writes. "The thing is, in the beginning he wasn't like this when we dated in person. He had career troubles and court stuff (due to her) so she stepped in and took over; she has access to all his finances, emails, etc since then (unbeknownst to me)." Now, the couple has been married for a couple of years, and his mom's "overreach" is killing the romance. "He has slowly been trying to untangle himself but things came to a head when we moved recently. I rearranged a busy work schedule to move half our stuff on Memorial Day weekend," she writes. "He was agreeable at first, but then closer to the date I suspect he spoke to her and she shut it down bc he refused to do so." Come moving day, the woman enlisted her own parents to help, and her husband got into a fight due to his car being too full of the couple's belongings. "A few months ago I told him his mother is a dealbreaker, but I'm not confident he will ever truly be independent," she writes. "Another thing is he lacks initiative in housework and has to be assigned tasks. My family thinks I deserve better." Now, she's debating what she should do and taking to Reddit to ask others if relationships can improve despite a meddling mother-in-law. "Has anyone seen an improvement being in a relationship with a mamma's boy or is it better to cut losses now?" she writes. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Reddit users aren't confident the relationship can improve. "You're not imagining it, mamma's boy habits like that rarely just disappear," writes one commenter. "And if she's controlling his finances and emails? That's a giant red flag, not 'relationship growing pains.' You're waiting for a man to show up who's been buried under his mom's thumb for years. Time to ask yourself if you want a partner or a perpetual child." Adds another: "If you feel like you're shouldering all the emotional labor and boundary-setting, it might be time to reevaluate. Consider couples therapy to explore these issues further. Ultimately, you deserve a partnership where your needs are respected." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
When is Son's Day? When is Daughter's Day? Here's when to celebrate family 2025
Mother's and Father's days have passed officially, and the children are ready to be celebrated too. While both holidays have a month of their own to celebrate, Daughter's and Son's days are both celebrated in September. These holidays, although not traditionally observed to the same level as the spring holidays, are still great days to celebrate with your family. In addition to days for daughters and sons, the year has not passed on Sister's Day – sorry bros, going to have to wait until May 24 – which will arrive in August. However, parents don't need to be discouraged either, as Parents' Day is just over a month away. Here are the upcoming family holidays for the rest of the year. Parents' Day occurs annually on the fourth Sunday of July, making this year's holiday on Sunday, July 27, 2025. According to the National Day Archives, former President Bill Clinton got some headway on the holiday after signing a bill in 1994 that emphasized the significance of parents in family life. Sister's Day is celebrated annually on the first Sunday of August, making this year's holiday on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. The day has an unknown origin, according to National Day Archives. The website suggests that appropriate ways to celebrate include spending time with your sister, whether that be a relative or someone with whom you share a sense of sisterhood. Before we get to separate holidays for sons and daughters, they have one joint holiday on Aug. 11, 2025. The holiday is celebrated annually on Aug. 11. Daughter's Day is celebrated on Sept. 25 annually, making this year's holiday on Thursday, September 25, 2025. National Daughter's Day celebrates daughters around the world. According to the National Day Archives, the holiday was created to 'erase the stigma in some countries attached to having a girl instead of a boy child,' and now is celebrated to cherish the gift of daughters. Son's Day has two days to celebrate. The first is annually on March 4 and the second on Sept. 28. The second occurrence falls on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. It's unclear why there are two days to celebrate sons. Both holidays came about in the age of the internet, and some choose to blame social media for causing the double day. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: When is Son's Day, Daughter's Day? When to celebrate family 2025
