The Colonel James Wood II Chapter joined the Fort Loudoun DAR Chapter for an annual Christmas Luncheon on 14 Dec 2019.  The luncheon was held at the Winchester Country Club.  Guest Speaker was Tony Williams who gave a great presentation on the relationship between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.  Pictured for the Color Guard are Brett Osborn, Clay Robinson, Dale Corey, Marc Robinson and Paul Christensen.
 
Submitted by Dale Corey

Alonzo Leonard Lacey, Jr., 84, of Culpeper died Friday, December 13, 2019. He was born November 2, 1935 in Mattoon, IL to the late Alonzo Lacey, Sr. and Glenna Redman Lacey.
Mr. Lacey earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Texas at Austin. He then served in the United States Marine Corps, rising to the rank of Corporal E-4. He left active duty and entered the Marine Corps Reserve when he returned to the University of Texas where he earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence. After law school, he began a 22-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Field Agent and was later assigned as Section Chief of Law Enforcement Arts at the FBI Training Academy, Quantico, Virginia. He retired from the FBI as Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division, New Haven, CT in 1986. He then became a faculty member at The Victoria College and served as Director of the Victoria College Police Academy in Victoria, Texas.

Mr. Lacey was a 40-year member of the North-South Skirmish Association where he was a long-time member of the Washington Blue Rifles. He was active in the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) serving as head of the Color Guard and representing the SAR on the Culpeper Fourth of July Festival Committee for many years. He was also active, as a board member and guide, with the Friends of Cedar Mountain Battlefield in Culpeper County. Mr. Lacey was a member of the Culpeper United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Margaret Lacey; two children, Alonzo Leonard Lacey, III, and Thomas Alan Lacey and his wife, Jill; one granddaughter, Margaret Nicole Lacey; one sister, Laura Barbara Krasell; and one niece, Dinah Lacey.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 12 p.m. at Culpeper United Methodist Church with Pastor John Hemming officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Inurnment will follow at Culpeper National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to Culpeper United Methodist Church, 1233 Oaklawn Drive, Culpeper, VA 22701 and or the charitable organization of your choice.

        Today members of three chapters honored compatriot Lon Lacey at a Memorial Service at Culpeper United Methodist Church and at his Inurnment at Cupleper National Cemetery.  Ten members of the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter with three of their wives, and one each from Colonel William Grayson Chapter and the Fairfax Resolves Chapter.  Four members participated in a uniformed Color Guard: Chapter Color Guard Commander Michael Dennis, Chapter President-Elect Charles Jameson, Virginia SAR 1st Vice President Bill Schwetke, and Mike Taimi of the Colonel William Grayson Chapter.

​On December 11, 2019, The New River Valley Chapter of the VASSAR awarded a flag certificate to Tawni P., resident of Blacksburg, Virginia.
 Submitted by Jerry Ford.

​ 
The Norfolk Chapter again hosted the annual NSSAR commemoration of the Battle of Great Bridge in a formal ceremony in the new museum of Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation, Chesapeake, VA, on December 7, 2019.  This was a joint ceremony that included the 66th annual wreath laying of Great Bridge Chapter NSDAR during which representatives of 36 patriotic organizations presented wreaths.  Norfolk President Dr. Ken Hawkins and Great Bridge NSDAR Regent Bobbie Gribble shared the podium as moderators. Chesapeake Mayor Rick West read a city council proclamation designating the day as “Battle of Great Bridge Commemoration Day” and USN Commander (Ret.) Christopher Pieczyski spoke on the significance of the battle in the context of the Revolution.  Virginia Society President Peter Davenport presented greetings from the Virginia Society and also, as Chancellor General, represented the NSSAR President General. State Corresponding Secretary Nancy Miller presented greetings from Virginia DAR.  A combined NSSAR/VASSAR color guard performed magnificently in a variety of regular and militia uniforms. Violin and bagpipe music contributed significantly to this event that sought to honor not ourselves, but all those who heroically fought on December 9, 1775—the British for their king and the victorious Virginia and North Carolina Patriots for their liberty and rights. 
 
The Norfolk Chapter and Virginia Society are already planning for our 10th annual commemoration for December 2020 to recognize this early Patriot victory that proved so significant to the Revolutionary cause.  After their frontal assault was repulsed by the fire of Col. Woodford’s 2nd Virginia Regiment, the Culpeper Minutemen, and North Carolina and Virginia militias, the defeated forces of Tory Governor Dunmore (elements of the regular British 14th Regiment of Foot, The Queen’s Own Loyal Virginia Regiment, and Dunmore’s Royal Ethiopian Regiment) fled to ships off Norfolk, which was occupied and burned.  Soon thereafter all British forces were expelled from Virginia and Chesapeake Bay.  Virginians were encouraged to mobilize, declare independence, and be the first former colony to establish a constitution and a new state government by June 1776.  Soldiers from Virginia, including veterans of Great Bridge, joined General Washington’s beleaguered army in time for Trenton, and much needed food, weapons, materiel, and additional reinforcements were shipped to his forces via the Chesapeake Bay. 
 
                                                                                    Submitted by J. Thomas Whetstone, D.Phil.  

​On December 5th, Dr. Christopher N. Sheap, Flag Program Chairman of the Fort Harrison Chapter, presented a Flag Certificate and Flag Retirement Certificate to Spencer K. White, Commander of the Chimney Rock VFW Post 9660 in northwestern Rockingham County.  During 2019, Spencer has overseen the collection and proper retirement of over 70 American Flags.  A Flag Retirement Certificate was also presented on that date to the Grandle Funeral Home in Broadway, Virginia for its assistance in the proper destruction of these Flags.  Spencer was also presented a Fort Harrison Chapter Veteran's Service Certificate in recognition of his military service.  Respectfully submitted,  Dr. Christopher N. Sheap