++++LIVING LEGENDS++++ And The Hall of Heroes

COLDSPRING MEMORIAL DAY 2026

Featured speaker is the 258th District Judge, Travis Kitchens. The annual event is an always attendance for both our 258th District Judge and our SJC County Judge, Honorable Fritz Faulkner. Judge Kitchens' father flew both bombing and reconnaisance missions in the Army Air Corp before the Airforce was formed.

This annual gathering of SJC Citizens to honor the memory of the fallen is always dignified and somber. It is easy to appreciate the great work our Veteran's Service Officer does during these public displays of our community and appreciation for those service men and women. It is the gloomy days when he gets the call to come pick up and old man who died alone somewhere with no one to remember him. It is on those thankless days that that Everitt's determination to remember them, their sacrifice and service to our nation comes through. Arranging transprotation for the vet. Officiating a funeral. Organizing a Color Guard. Speaking their name into the record again. Leaving a monument. We won't even mention all the help he gives the veterans with the problems that arise in their day to day lives. We are a blessed community that has always had a great volunteer spirit and patriots in all corners.

HONORABLE TRAVIS KITCHENS 258th DISTRICT JUDGE

<COLDSPRING NOW. Memorial Day Observance

San Jacinto County Courthouse

A solemn observation of the respect and honor due those who paid it all that we can be free is about to kick off at the front steps of the San Jacinto Co Courthouse.

Multiple speakers and reminders of those sacrifices will be presented. Judge Travis Kitchens is constant presence when it comes to honoring our vets, both fallen and the still living. Thank you to those who have sacrificed. Between Judge Kitchens and Veteran's Service Officer, Dale Everitt, you can count on some interesting history to be shared with the crowd.

LIVING FREE? THANK A VETERAN FOR THAT TODAY AND EVERYDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES

5/25/2025 CAMILLA POST 629

MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVED WITH RESPECT

The memory of the fallen soldiers of SJC who paid the ultimate price for our freedom were not lost in the multitude of so many to honor nationwide. The Honorable 258th District Judge, Travis Kitchens along with several more SJC elected officials attended the solemn observance. Sheriff Sam Houston, a veteran and several of his deputies, Pct 1 Commissioner Luke Sweeny, a veteran and our Veteran's Service Officer, Dale Everitt were there. A good crowd showed even with the last minute change of location due to bad weather closing in.

The American Legion Post 629 facilities in Camilla kept every one dry but the playing of Taps while the reading of the names of the 28 men and women from San Jacinto County that paid that ultimate price brought tears to the eyes of many in the crowd.

"We want to make it a tradition to read these names", Everitt said sharing an old proverb. "It is that we all die twice. Once when we take our last breath and again the last time our name is spoken on earth."

Relatives of the fallen soldiers still live in SJC and have expressed appreciation at the respect paid their fallen family members.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS MEMORIAL, GO HERE

https://www.onlineatanthem.com/visitors/veterans_memorial/index.php

2022 Veterans Day San Jacinto County, Texas - Photos - Special Events - San Jacinto County Radio (oldwaverlytex.com)

DON MAY , TIM MARTIN, BRANDON FOWLER AND MARK VAUGHN

LAS VEGAS 11/9/2018

LOCAL GROUP WINS NATIONAL HONOR

Producers Choice Awards was the honor shown the local band, "Satisfied Drive" and their producer at the event recently held in Las Vegas, USA. More details linked to the headline.

MY FAVORITE

COLDSPRING 12/12/2018

HALL OF HEROES

A long overdue THANK YOU is the purpose and intent of this article. I am using all the pictures below just to illustrate the passion one man has to keep the memories and stories of bravery, sacrafice, committment and loyalty exhibited by our veterans alive in the minds of our community. One man has the drive to make sure the young people never forget the sacrifices of so many men and women of every race and walk of life that paid the price for our freedom. Dale Everitt is the Veteran's Service Officer for San Jacinto County but he is much more than that.

The normal duties of helping our vets with the red tape and VA and pension issues fill his days along with the all too often duty of making arrangements for a vet who has died forgotten and alone somewhere. I have seen him go into his own pocket to help on more than one occassion just because it needed doing. What I want the people of SJC to know about is the treasure trove of memories Dale Everitt has put up on the walls in the basement of the courthouse. It was a project he had started and was well underway when the basement flooded and set him back. He had to endure the ripping out and rebuilding of the entire downstairs but as soon as that was done, Mr. Everitt started rebuilding the Hall of Heros one more time.

Here are a few of the items that adorn our basement walls.

This pictorial essay is just a snippit of the treasures Dale Everitt has put on display for the benefit of the community. From the front entry hall all the way to the Elevator, you can't miss an opportunity to read up on not only our national history but quite a bit of the local history too. From District Judges to Senators, Movie stars to farm boys, our Veteran's Service Officer keeps the memory fresh. You can't help but understand that it takes all the peoples of our nation to keep us free. The call of duty is color blind and oblivious to your social status. Dale Everitts display proves that God stirs the hearts of every kind of person to defend the freedom that isn't free. It is my hope that this community will take a minute to tell Dale Everitt thanks for all he does making sure our vets know we care.