The grave of Fanny Crosby in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has a simple marker that reads, “Aunt Fanny — She Hath Done What She Could.”
Although blind, Fanny Crosby wrote more than 9,000 poems which were to set to music. They include such favorites as “Blessed Assurance,” “To God Be The Glory” and “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” She is remembered and honored every time one of her hymns is sung in church services.
Most veterans may never reach the fame of a Fanny Crosby but “each gave some, and some gave all” in service to their country and to their fellow man. Recently, I presided over the funeral of a veteran as he was laid to rest in Veterans Circle at Hartley Cemetery. Besides the Military Funeral Honors Team and members of the Patriot Guard Riders no one was there to observe the service.
This was not particularly surprising to members of the Honors Team, which has provided traditional military honors at funerals of more than 1,000 veterans in Lake County. Many of the funeral services provided for veterans by the Honors Team are as poorly attended as this one.
As the poet said: God and the soldier we alike adore in times of danger, not before. The danger past and all conflict righted, God is forgotten, the soldier slighted.
May God bless our troops and veterans; and God bless America.
