“I am honoring Wes Anderson from Spokane, who recently died. He was a Vietnam veteran who spent over 50 years helping other veterans in our community.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note the passing of a great American, a great patriot, and a friend, Mr. Wes Anderson of Spokane, Washington. Wes was known across the communities of Spokane County for his exemplary service to fellow veterans who knew him best as ``Doc.’’ Wes was a lifelong Spokanite whose life was defined by service, first in Vietnam where he served as a hospital corpsman and later across our communities where he had time for every veteran. The moments in Vietnam crystallized a lifetime of determination to serve veterans when, on his return to the United States, he had to fight his way through a crowd of war protesters on his flight home. His service to veterans took the form of over five decades of service through leadership roles in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, where he was honored for his work as a chaplain, and through various initiatives, small and large, that included his support for the residents of Spokane’s veterans homes, 20 consecutive years of cleaning the Spokane Vietnam Veterans Memorial on each Memorial Day, and his volunteer work for veterans organizations such as Heroes Homestead. With Wes’ passing, there is a void in our community that will be felt for many years to come. Mr. Speaker, Wes was a patriot, a great American, and a friend. I speak for the entire Spokane community when I say that he will be sincerely missed.”
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note the passing of a great American, a great patriot, and a friend, Mr. Wes Anderson of Spokane, Washington. Wes was known across the communities of Spokane County for his exemplary service to fellow veterans who knew him best as ``Doc.’’ Wes was a lifelong Spokanite whose life was defined by service, first in Vietnam where he served as a hospital corpsman and later across our communities where he had time for every veteran. The moments in Vietnam crystallized a lifetime of determination to serve veterans when, on his return to the United States, he had to fight his way through a crowd of war protesters on his flight home. His service to veterans took the form of over five decades of service through leadership roles in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, where he was honored for his work as a chaplain, and through various initiatives, small and large, that included his support for the residents of Spokane’s veterans homes, 20 consecutive years of cleaning the Spokane Vietnam Veterans Memorial on each Memorial Day, and his volunteer work for veterans organizations such as Heroes Homestead. With Wes’ passing, there is a void in our community that will be felt for many years to come. Mr. Speaker, Wes was a patriot, a great American, and a friend. I speak for the entire Spokane community when I say that he will be sincerely missed.