Fort McPherson National Cemetery south
of Maxwell is the final resting site for more than 7,700, who had
served in their country's military service.
Fort McPherson:
Hallowed Ground
They lie in hallowed ground, in row after row of neatly spaced graves.
The headstones at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell silently
tell the names of those who once gallantly served in their country's military.
Bryan Wohler and Paul W. Bodenstab are two of the more than 7,700 buried
there.
Wohler was killed April 20, 2002, in an accident near North Platte. He was
only 28.
Looking around at the markers near his final resting place, his mother,
Ruth Wohler of North Platte, sadly noted that Bryan was the youngest of
those buried in that immediate area.
Bryan Wohler served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and had returned
to civilian life and home to North Platte only months before the accident.
Ruth Wohler comes to the cemetery
to bring flowers or to just spend time remembering her youngest son.
"It's a very special place," Wohler said softly. "It's an
honor to have this spot as his resting place."
She appreciates the care and consideration given the families at the cemetery.
"It's a beautiful cemetery and so quiet and peaceful. I know the cemetery
will always be taken care of," Wohler said.
Paul W. Bodenstab died Dec. 4, 2001. He was 75. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1944 to 1946.
The decision to bury her father at Fort McPherson was almost automatic,
said Karen Bodenstab of North Platte. "Right away we said he was
going to be buried at Fort McPherson," Bodenstab said.
At the time of death, families are overcome with emotion and aren't thinking
clearly, she continued. It was comforting to know that the burial site was
provided as a benefit of her father's years in the service, that it was
there at a time of need for him and his family.
"His country meant a lot to him," Bodentab said.
NPTSummer 2003 Issue
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