By Patty Talahongva

    More than 20 years ago when Jo Ella Lysons and her husband, Arthur (also known as Bud) purchased a joint burial plot in the Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, they had envisioned being buried together. Yet as time passed the couple changed their minds and talked often of being cremated.

    He told her, “I’d just as soon have my ashes spread around Mingus Mountain, Sedona and Flagstaff,” Lysons recalls. So when he passed away earlier this summer after 54 years of together, Lysons followed his wishes and had him cremated. His children spread his ashes as he had requested.

    Now the 83-year-old widow was left alone to decide what to do with their burial plot. Her husband was in the U.S. Navy and served in World War II. Lysons herself worked for the U.S. Air Force, installing and changing out hydraulics in airplanes.

 

The burial plot is located in the veteran’s section of the cemetery so she thought it fitting to donate it to a veteran’s group. The Men’s Auxiliary for VFW Post 9400, located at 804 E. Purdue Ave. in Sunnyslope, was ecstatic to receive the donation. Ron Francis, president of the VFW Men’s Auxiliary, went to Lysons’ house to thank her personally. “We gave her a plaque to show her how much we appreciated her donation,” he explained. Then they told her their plans for the plot, which coincide with a visit from a remarkable traveling memorial.

The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is traveling around the country and makes a stop in Phoenix Sept. 18-20 at the Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, located at 200 W. Beardsley Road. It’s the same place where they Lysons had their plot.

    Free and open to the public 24 hours a day during its visit, the replica wall is 8 feet high and 240 feet long, and is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 servicemen and women who died or are missing. Folks can bring mementos of their loved ones who served in that war to leave at the wall. The items will be collected and then put in a vault, which will be buried in the plot donated by Lysons. “Isn’t that something,” says Lysons. “I couldn’t believe it! That just worked out perfectly for Bud and me.

     “I’m happy that I gave it to them,” says Lysons, adding, “It makes me happy that they care.” She also was surprised when folks from the cemetery told her they would donate her cremation services so that her ashes could also be spread over northern Arizona.

    The VFW Men’s Auxiliary hopes to help get her to the event and have her present when they bury the vault on Sunday, during closing ceremonies that begin around 2:45 p.m. She also plans on donating a memento from her husband’s service days to the vault.

    “We’re glad she’s on our side,” says Francis. He says the Memorial Park also is donating a marker for the vault so visitors can easily find it in the future.

    Lysons is pleased with the plans. She says it’s a fitting tribute to her husband. “He was a very generous man, very kind, and a good father.”

    For the full schedule of events visit, go to http://www.DignityMemorial.com or call 623-434-7000.