A Davenport couple is traveling across Iowa with a special wall displaying the names and color pictures of the Iowans who have died serving our country in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Deb Rice and her husband Ken say they wanted to remember these individuals for their sacrifices in the name of freedom.
“This wall has all the pictures of the fallen from Afghanistan and Iraq, they are KIAs,” Rice says.
“The first one is Bradley Korthaus and the last one is Steven Blass. We have all of them. I’m thinking it’s 82 on our wall right now. We just want to pay this tribute to prove they’re not forgotten. They all deserve this. They gave their all to give us all the liberties we have today.”
Rice says the wall is a fitting honor to these Iowans who have served and died for our country. “Whether you want to say it’s our mission to do this, as the Gold Star families have always said, do not let our son or daughter be forgotten,” Rice says. “This is our way that we can assure them they’re not forgotten. By taking this wall around and if everyone who sees it takes one picture or name off that wall and remembers, that’s one way to do that and pay tribute.”
Rice said there has a been a positive response from people to this project everywhere they’ve gone in Iowa. “When you see the faces and the names, even though there’s only 82, they hit you,” Rice says. “It’s almost like slapping you in the face. They just actually love it. We’ve had the Gold Star families come and see it and that’s the most tribute, when they come and tell you ‘thank you’ or anyone that sees it says ‘thank you’ for this.”
For information on where the wall will be next, contact Deb and Ken Rice at 563-386-8219 or by e-mail: debbierice@yahoo.com
Story and picture by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City