MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
A volunteer-led effort to identify unmarked graves and secure proper recognition for veterans buried in Reno County cemeteries continues to make progress, despite delays caused by a federal government shutdown.
Jessica Frost, organizer of Operation Final Salute, recently provided an update during an interview on the BW Morning Show, outlining both recent accomplishments and ongoing challenges tied to veterans’ grave markers and incomplete burial records.
Frost said a planned roundtable discussion with local funeral homes, businesses and a representative from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s office was postponed during the shutdown. The meeting was intended to clarify next steps for ordering veterans’ headstones and coordinating future preservation efforts. Organizers are now hopeful the meeting can be rescheduled later this winter or early spring.
Despite the setback, Frost has completed a full survey of Fairlawn Cemetery, where she identified 45 veterans buried without headstones. Work is now focused on Eastside Cemetery, one of the county’s oldest burial grounds.
Eastside Cemetery presents unique challenges. Frost said the cemetery experienced a large-scale disinterment in the early 1940s, when remains were relocated and records were often left incomplete or lost. The cemetery also contains both city and county “poor farm” sections, where individuals who could not afford private burial were interred, frequently without permanent markers.
“At Eastside, we’ve photographed the entire cemetery and are now validating burial records and military service,” Frost said. “We’re about 45 percent complete and have identified at least 20 veterans who currently do not have headstones.”
In some cases, Frost said families declined permanent markers or chose alternative memorials. In others, temporary metal plates—originally intended to be used for only a few months—were left in place for decades to provide minimal identification.
Since launching her work publicly earlier this year, Frost said more than two dozen families have reached out seeking help locating relatives’ graves. Disinterments, duplicate headstones and conflicting online records often create confusion for descendants trying to trace burial locations.
Part of Frost’s work includes correcting and updating information on public genealogy websites, validating veterans’ service records and, when possible, documenting personal histories. One notable discovery involved a veteran buried at Eastside who served as a guard for President Abraham Lincoln and was later a pallbearer at Lincoln’s funeral.
Frost said the issue of unmarked or undocumented veterans’ graves is not limited to Reno County, but reflects a broader, nationwide problem rooted in historic burial practices and outdated policies. Prior to the mid-20th century, veterans who died by suicide or under certain circumstances were often denied headstones, a policy that has since changed.
“Now, those veterans are eligible for markers, but the process still requires verification and, in many cases, permission from surviving family members,” Frost said.
While the application process for veterans’ headstones has become more accessible, Frost emphasized that awareness remains a challenge. She continues to work with local veterans organizations, the Reno County Museum and community volunteers to ensure veterans receive proper recognition.
Operation Final Salute operates entirely on a volunteer basis. Updates on the project and ways to follow its progress are available through the organization’s Facebook page.
“Our goal is simple,” Frost said. “No veteran should be forgotten, and no grave should remain anonymous if we can help it.”