Gold Star Families Monument Unveiled At Owasso’s Veteran’s Park

A new addition to Veterans Park in Owasso honors Gold Star Families.

Those are the parents, spouses, children, siblings and other family members grieving the loss of a loved one killed in military combat.  

The veterans memorial has been at the park since 2005, featuring black granite walls in honor of each branch of the military, but on Monday, a new monument was unveiled honoring Gold Star Families.

The new monument offers a permanent place for gold star families and their sacrifices to be recognized.

A crowd of about 100 people braved the heat and took time to look at the new monument, made possible by the Woody Williams Foundation.

Mike Henley and his wife Shirley were in the crowd in honor of Joe Keith. Mike's cousin Joe served in the Army and was killed on the Anzio Beach Head in Italy during World War II.

Just five years old when Joe died, Mike didn't know Joe, but he and his wife hope Joe's life is honored for generations to come. 

"Joe was the first one killed out of Collinsville in WWII. The armory in Collinsville is named after him,” Mike said.

"It's nice to get your whole family together because after we're gone, we want them to carry on and really know him,” Shirley said.

There is another monument like this in Lawton and plans to put on in Oklahoma City. But this new monument in Owasso is the first of its kind to come to Green Country.