Ocean Pines, Md. — For those who have lost a loved one in combat, Memorial Day hits close to home. It’s not just another day on the calendar, or a day off from work.
Lynda Kundrat of Selbyville, Del. lost her son, Staff Sgt. William Joseph Conrad, in a plane crash over Mississippi in 2017. She has attended the Memorial Day ceremony at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines for the past five years.
“I want people to remember those who gave them the freedom that they breathe into their lungs every day, the freedom that makes that flag fly over us,” said Kundrat. “Because we are the reason my son was killed, because he devoted his life to us. And that, to me, is the thing I want everybody to remember.”
The Worcester County Veterans Memorial brings families and neighbors together to grieve, remember and honor those they've lost — and for Gold Star families like Kundrat, coming back each year is part of that commitment.
“It has become a tradition,” said Kundrat. “It's part of my life because the hardest thing is, you don't miss someone that's gone, a child that you've lost. It's the grief and the memories that are inside of you.”
Residents of Ocean Pines are also committed to showing up for their community. Ocean Pines resident Jimmy Gilmore is one of the founding members of the Worcester County Veterans Memorial. Gilmore says he will always give his full support to this day and the efforts of the memorial.
“It’s the patriotic thing to do…They can never be forgotten because of the total sacrifice that they gave for this country,” said Gilmore. “For us to live the life that we live and to be free as we are.”
The memorial has stood for nearly 20 years, but this year it looks a little different. Foundation members say a marker recognizing the Space Force — the military's newest branch, established in 2019 — was added to the site.
The memorial is built on the commitment of volunteers who help with tasks such as cleaning the memorial, raising and lowering flags and planting flowers. It is funded entirely by donations.
The memorial is open year-round — a permanent reminder that Worcester County will never forget its veterans.
