It was standing room only at VFW Post 4938, Edmond, on March 1 as retired Navy Master Chief Larry Van Schuyver, Oklahoma’s State Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) and other members recognized about 42 individuals and groups who volunteered in 2024 and 2025 to make a difference to Oklahoma veterans, including combat wounded veterans. The annual ceremony was a tribute to those who improve veteran’s lives in many ways.
After receiving a plaque, recipients told the 90-person crowd what they do for veterans of all Services. It was quite evident, through tears and quivering voices, how deeply each person felt about their mission to honor veterans. The name of the award and its recipient are in bold font. Remarks by several recipients, edited for brevity, are provided below.
Spirit of Oklahoma Award
Lt. Col. Peter Plank said, “What a nice recognition for what we’ve done over 20 years with the World War II…We formed a Liberty Jump Team, parachute team, 20 plus years ago. And we jump in Normandy, France, Holland, and we do a veteran program in Belgium every year. And we took some Battle of the Bulge veterans back to the battlefields. They fought the villages, they liberated, and one of them…101-year-old Chock Charleston was a Sherman tank driver and we took him back to the villages that he went through and it took him to the Luxembourg American Cemetery and brought closure.”
Purple Heart Business of the Year
Jessie Newell of Shawnee is a photographer and owns Bird Nest Baby Photography. “I photograph war veterans to honor their service with or without their families…I’ve photographed over a thousand veterans…So, my very first veteran was named Dewey Muirhead…So, he comes out and he brings about 20 family members and I photographed them all…Dewey told me what D-Day was like, how terrifying it was to lay on Omaha Beach in the middle of thousands of wounded and dead soldiers, hearing young men yelling out for their mothers, because all of them were between 16 and probably 20 years old or somewhere around there.” She concluded, “It’s a blessing that I would never walk away from.”
Outstanding Mayor of the Year
Matthew Dukes, the Mayor of Midwest City, bested 64 nominees to earn the award. Accepting the plaque, he smiled and told the crowd, “I’m very honored…All I did was make Midwest City a Purple Heart City. I appreciate the recognition and – shock – to Midwest City. We’re on the map now. I appreciate this very much.” Mayor Dukes is a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the Oklahoma Air National Guard.
Purple Heart Veteran of the Year
Don Nichols, Muskogee Adjutant of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (and a Purple Heart recipient), and volunteers came from Muskogee and Tahlequah. He said of them, “They worked to save the (Jack C. Montgonery) VA Hospital in Muskogee…We went out and got together 80,000 signatures and kept them from moving the hospital, and it was that group that did it… We built a National Purple Heart Monument in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (It was dedicated May 25, 2024)…We’re proud of it…We are just in the process of recognizing the 14 historical black towns in the state of Oklahoma as Purple Heart Cities.”
Service Before Self Award
Sixteen members of the (mostly) motorcycle riding group Flag Poles Honoring our Veterans attended. One spokesman said Kevin Blake, the group’s founder, started in March 2020 and added, “Since then, the group has installed 670 flag poles for veterans…Most of us are just patriots (not veterans)…We will raise the flag with the pledge of allegiance, say a prayer over it…We do the 13 folds of the flag and read the meaning of the 13 folds…And then we’ll have a veteran present the flag to the recipient. It’s a moving experience.”
Distinguished Service
Organization of the Year
Vet Chat at Cornerstone Church, Midwest City, has been connecting veterans with local agencies, organizations, and civic groups for advice and assistance since 2018. About 15 members attended the ceremony. Leo Webster, the Executive Director, thanked his volunteers. “You stepped into the life of veterans in need, offering them support, understanding the compassion that they may never have found anywhere else…Let’s be relentless in our pursuit of saving lives and ensuring that no veteran feels alone, abandoned.”
General Pete Costilow Volunteers of the Year
Fat Guys Club. This dedicated group donates countless hours providing cooking demonstrations at the Norman Veterans Center, donating clothing for a special care school in OKC, cooking for children receiving Christmas gifts with the Mafias Motorcycle Club, cooking and delivering Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to needy families, and grilling food on Father’s Day and Valentines Day for veterans at San Marcos Mexican Restaurant, OKC.
Hall of Honor Supporter.
Plaques went to Oklahoma Representative Andy Fugate, Stacy Reddig, Debra Wimpee, and John Meek of the Navy Enlisted Reserve Association-Oklahoma. After Pugate received his plaque, he said, “I’m grateful for the recognition. I’ll stand up for you every day.” Additionally, Dr. Kayse Shrum, Former President of OSU 2021-2025, received the Purple Heart Legacy and Oklahoma Purple Rose Awards.
Lady Purple Rose Award
Melissa Morrison, Heather Rutherford, Sarah Wheatley, Cloris Webster and Rolanna Whitlock received these awards. As he gave them, Schuyver said, …”the Purple Rose to us is the highest form of honor we give those that are members of our family.”
At the end of the ceremony, Jessie Newell of Bird Nest Photography stood up and praised Master Chief Van Schuyver – and guests agreed with thunderous rounds of applause. “As amazing as his military service is, it’s his service after retirement that blows my mind…If he’s not repairing a home, he’s out in a widow’s flower bed, or he’s trying to make money to pay a widow’s bills.” Besides leading the Oklahoma Chapter of the OMHF, she noted his efforts to collect canned goods to fill up VFW pantry shelves.
After the meeting ended, most attendees stayed and donated money to the Fat Guys Club in order to enjoy a good company while eating a hamburger or hot dog. It was evident these volunteers don’t provide hundreds, even thousands, of hours a year to receive plaques – they want to support Oklahoma’s veterans who need and appreciate help and they find a variety of ways to do it. Volunteerism is alive and well in our great state. That’s a good feeling. story by Richard Stephens
