By Yvonne Zonana.
Russ and Kiu moved to Lehigh Acres from Ohio several years ago. Shortly after they moved in, Russ put up a tall flagpole in his front yard and proudly flew the American flag. He was in the U.S. Army and completed two tours of duty in the Vietnam War. He was a quiet and unassuming man; never the kind of guy who sought the limelight.
Russ passed away a few months ago from a chronic lung condition following a protracted illness. Kiu moved back to Ohio and put their home on the market. When a neighbor, Richard, heard the house had been sold, he approached Kiu (who had returned to Lehigh to remove personal items) about buying the flagpole, which he put in his yard. He wanted the flagpole to remain in the neighborhood as a memorial to Russ.
Recently, friends, family and neighbors gathered for an outdoor tribute to Russ that culminated in silently raising the American flag that Russ so revered and served. We wanted to show our appreciation for Russ and his service to our country. Some people spoke, some cried and others were silent. Kiu, who is from Vietnam, spoke about how grateful she was to her husband of 45 years for giving her and her family the opportunity to live in the United States and the freedom afforded them. She thanked us for this tribute to Russ and commented how surprised he would have been at this acknowledgment of his life and service to our country.
Russ, you will be missed, but you can take comfort in knowing that when the neighbors walk, run, cycle, or drive past your flagpole you will be in their thoughts. May God bless you and may you rest in peace.
Thanks for the nice write-up. I should have made it more clear that the article was written by Yvonne Zonana, my wife of 50 years. I only helped with the editing a bit!
wouldn’t it be nice if this type of togetherness could be carried out within all the communities and neighborhoods in Lehigh
Words cannot express how grateful and humbled I am to hear of the tribute you paid to my father. He was a proud veteran, American, and man. Lehigh was his favorite place to be. May God bless you all for taking the time to honor my father.
Kim Lenhart Hale
Thank you for the great tribute to my dad. He would never had expected anything like that. He was proud to be an American and veteran. He loved being there in Lehigh Acres. Now, I know it wasn’t just for the weather. Neighbors like all of you are hard to find. It’s comforting to know how respected and loved he was.
Thank you for honoring my brother,Russell. He was my baby brother and we miss him. He was a very hard worker and was determined to make it life. Thank your for honoring him in this way. He truly loved his country and loved living in Leigh Acres. I cried when I read this tribute. Your kindness was much appreciated.