COEUR d’ALENE — Rev. Bill Muck received the Gold Star Award on Friday for both his service to his country as an Air Force pilot and his post-military service to others as a chaplain.

But when he gave the invocation before the Rotary Club of Coeur d'Alene, his focus was on offering words of solace in advance of Memorial Day.

“Each name etched in stone, each name fluttering in the breeze reminds us that our freedom was not free," he said during the luncheon at The Coeur d'Alene Resort. "May we remember the words of John F. Kennedy, who once said this, ‘As our nation expresses its gratitude, may we never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.'"

Small red flowers could be spotted around the room on National Poppy Day as colorful reminders to honor the fallen and support the living who served the country.

Two Gold Star parents, Theresa Hart and John Goldsmith, shared their experiences about how they lost their sons in combat only days apart.

Nicholas Newby was 20 years old when he was killed on July 7, 2011, in Iraq.

Theresa Hart said her son's death motivated her to keep his spirit alive through Newby-ginnings, a Kootenai County nonprofit serving veterans, active military and Gold Star families by providing basic necessities and resources.

In 11 years, it has helped well over 6,000 families in North Idaho and Eastern Washington.

"I love that I get to thank them for their service," Hart said in a previous Press report.

John Goldsmith said before his son, Wyatt, joined the Army and became a Green Beret, he and his wife, Lorie Goldsmith, struggled to get him to do chores around the house, but the discipline offered in the military seemed to focus him.

“We kept telling him to find something that you want to do,” Goldsmith recalled.

His son enlisted in 2004 and completed the special forces training in 2007.

The Goldsmiths followed Wyatt’s progress as he tested to become special forces and was required to learn a language, Mandarin in this case, and decided to become a medic.

“The training is extreme, and they’re probably two of the hardest courses for the Green Berets and he did them both. We were blessed. We were very proud of the things he accomplished,” Goldsmith said. 

Wyatt died July 15, 2011, in Afghanistan. He was saving the life of an Afghan commando he served with after saving the lives of two others. He was 28 years old.

When the Goldsmiths received word that their son had died in the line of duty, they were shaken.

“Our whole concept about the world we lived in changed,” Goldsmith said.

When asked about the Gold Star on his car, Goldsmith finds many people don’t know the weight of sadness and sacrifice the symbol represents.

He asked the crowd to tell others of all ages, but especially youth, so that the stories of sacrifice are passed on and the legacy of soldiers like his son continues.

“It’s incumbent on us to make sure the young people coming up have an idea of what the heck this is all about,” Goldsmith said.

    John Goldsmith looks up at a photo of his son, Wyatt Goldsmith wearing his military regalia, during a slide show as part of a Memorial Day tribute honoring Gold Star families.
  

    Theresa Hart tells stories of her son, Nicholas Newby, who was killed in action in Iraq on July 7, 2011. The talk took place at a Rotary Club talk honoring Gold Star families ahead of Memorial Day.
  

    Rev. Bill Muck accepts an award for his invocations during a Rotary Club meeting.