With Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to stop and express gratitude to the thousands of brave men and women who put their lives on the line to serve our country.
One of the best places to do so is through a visit to the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial, which proudly stands as a tribute to area veterans from World War I to 2021. Its carved black granite panels contain more than 3,000 individuals commemorated to date, with additional submissions always welcome.
As you’d expect, the memorial is impressive, consisting of a five-pointed star floor design placed inside a larger 50-foot circular plaza, with each star point representing a different branch of the military. In the center lies a black granite obelisk, topped by a bronze statue of an eagle carrying a flag, with a combined height of approximately 20 feet. The obelisk contains bronze plaques which tell the story of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.
Surrounding the obelisk is a 50-foot circular plaza containing matching black granite panels that bear the names of all those who served, along with a landscaped walkway. Parking is very close by, and the monument is wheelchair accessible.
Located at the southwest corner of Reaves Park, on the corner of Jenkins Avenue and Constitution, the memorial was dedicated on Veteran’s Day in 2008. Its creation took seven years, and was a labor of love for Don Shulenberg, then commander of Norman’s American Legion Post 88.
“In 2000-2001 I was the state (Legion) commander,” Shulenberg said. “I went to every town in Oklahoma that has a post, dozens of them, and no matter how tiny they were, every single town had a veterans’ memorial except for Norman. I thought that was unacceptable. When I approached city leaders, I was told it was too expensive. I said, ‘You give me a piece of land, and I’ll make it happen.’”
Shulenberg immediately turned his efforts to privately raising the required $380,000. He stressed that it was a true community effort, with fellow veterans, Norman’s City Council, local business and civic groups, Scout troops and others providing donations. Even Norman’s favorite hometown celebrity, the late actor James Garner, contributed to the project.
At the same time, Shulenberg worked closely with former Norman parks director Jud Foster and city staff to select and formalize the location requirements. Once funds were raised, it was determined that Reaves Park would be the ideal spot, and construction, using donated labor, took about six months.
Shulenberg said a special thanks also go to local engineer Bob Goins and architect Richard McKinney, who donated their services to design the plaza, as well Osage artist Shan Gray, who created the eagle statue, which was cast by Norman-based foundry The Crucible.
“We didn’t just want a statue; we wanted a place where people can sit and look at it and have moments of contemplation,” Shulenberg said, “Plus, it has the benefit of being at Reaves, where the city holds its Fourth of July celebration and other big events, so it’s very accessible to everyone.”
As one example, Norman’s annual Veteran’s Day parade traditionally ends with a ceremony at the memorial, with this year’s event tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 14.
That celebration will be extra special this year for Norman resident Linda Johnston. She, her husband and her father are all Army veterans, and the names of all three are being added to the carved panels.
“This type of memorial is a wonderful way for families to be remembered,” she said. “We need to remember these brave people, because they laid down their lives for freedom.”
“I have a lot of military people in my family, so this was a very special project for me,” added Foster, who served with the parks department for more than four decades. “It was an honor to be associated with it.”
To qualify, the veteran must have been born, died or lived for a significant amount of time in Cleveland County. There is no charge for this service, and applications are available at normanok.gov/residents-visitors/parks-recreation/parks/reaves-park or at the Parks Department office, 201-C W. Gray St., in Norman. Applicants must provide a copy of the veteran’s DD-214 form, which provides basic information about their service.
Two hundred names must be collected in order for the engraver to create each additional panel for the memorial, and the city website also has a locator, where people can find which panels contain which names.
“When they unveiled (the monument) for the first time, I just cried; it was so gratifying,” Shulenberg said. “I wanted all of our veterans to be honored from World War I to now. I wanted our town to have one of the best memorials, and now it does.”