OTHELLO - A memorial service was held for 53 Othello-area veterans who didn't receive funeral services.

Moses Lake and Ephrata American Legion posts and the Washington State Army National Guard Funeral Honors Team gathered at the Bess Hampton Memorial Garden in Othello Tuesday afternoon. The ceremony was held for veterans who didn't receive them at their funeral.

The team is traveling through central Washington performing the services after finding a number of veterans didn't receive funeral honors, Staff Sgt. Andrea Wysock said at a similar event held in Ephrata in January. The state provided a list of veterans to the team divided by city.

The ceremony included a flag-folding ceremony, taps and a 21-gun salute. Each of the names was read, followed by ringing a bell and a moment of silence for each person, she said.

The Othello event was the third honoring Grant County veterans, and included names of veterans from Othello, Connell, Royal City and Warden. Three of the veterans had family or friends there to remember them.

"Every one that we have done we seem to get more of a community following," Wysock said. "We're grateful for the support."

One of the family members attending the service was Kim Galloway. Her father, William J. Monahan, was a Navy serviceman and died in August. She learned about the service on Monday when she saw her father's name printed in a newspaper.

"I didn't know they did this," she said. "He was very proud of his service."

Monahan served on the Pacific front during World War II.

Leroy Cantu accepted the flag for his father, who died in 1966. The Othello resident served in the Marine Corps during World War II. Cantu was glad he could participate in the event, he said.

"My brother told me about it yesterday," Cantu said, referring to Joe Cantu, who participated in the memorial service. "There's so much to appreciate in the veterans."

Rennae Rosenberg was accepting the flag for a friend, she said; adding the family didn't attend the event. Rosenberg graduated from Othello High School.

"After that I wandered around a couple of years, and during that couple years I knew this gentleman. Then I joined the Navy and disappeared for 20 years," she said.

Rosenberg learned of her friend's death during the past year, and wanted him to be remembered at the memorial.

"He needs somebody to recognize him," she said. "I'm a veteran. I believe all veterans should be acknowledged."