Veteran's Cemetery recognizes Volunteer of the Year

MEDICAL LAKE – Sometimes heartache can open doors to opportunity as experienced by 81-year-old Vern Lightbody.

Recently, Lightbody’s efforts were recognized when he was presented with the Volunteer of the Year Award by the Washington State Veteran’s Cemetery.

Lightbody said he has always led with his heart and tried to help people in any capacity he could.

When his wife passed away five years ago, he focused his efforts on helping around the cemetery.

“Her resting place is here,” Lightbody said, “I simply went in and asked how I could help.”

Veterans Cemetery Director Rudy Lopez said Lightbody first joined the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in 2017.

“We didn’t know his full skillset at the time, and through his service he has just kept giving,” Lopez said. “He has been an extremely valuable asset to the program.”

Lopez said the Ladies and Gentlemen are a 100% volunteer and non-profit organization that work as ambassadors exclusively for the Veteran’s Cemetery.

Lightbody has been the group’s president for two years.

Lightbody was born in Wenatchee, but his family moved to Spokane in 1952.

After graduating high school in 1958, he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Seattle for eight years where he served as a personnel specialist.

Lightbody said he was also part of the Honor Guard and was also a Water Survival Instructor during his time in the Navy.

“Having been in the service, I have always felt it was extremely important to honor our brothers and sisters for their services and sacrifices,” he said.

Lopez said the cemetery “serves the families with a venue and a headstone, but doesn’t directly take part in the official services. We leave that to the ambassadors like Vern.”

Lopez said the longtime Spokane resident started out simply helping to welcome and then usher families through services.

“Lightbody is a giving, servant leader,” the director said. “He offered to start driving and now is a licensed chaplain, offering ministerial services.”

Lightbody has also served as a deacon for Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church, and is currently an elder in the same church.

He said he is happy and proud to serve in any way he can, and has been known to cover some of the janitorial work as well.

“Every bit of work is to honor those individuals out there, and every job is important,” the Navy veteran said. “Every task from mopping the floors to leading the procession deserves to be done with dignity.”

The director said even at age 81, Lightbody continues to make multiple monthly trips to volunteer.

“And he even picks up services on the fly,” Lopez said. “Sometimes, we have families show up and explain they don’t have a minister, and Vern jumps at the opportunity to make sure the family is taken care of.”

“It is really nice to develop so many community relationships,” Lightbody said, “and I’m gonna keep staying busy and keep going as long as I can.”

Reporter Matthew O. Stephens can be reached at [email protected].