‘When good people do nothing, evil will prevail’

GREENFIELD — Dean Griffith, a Navy veteran from Bridgewater, looks at the Adair County Veterans Memorial on the courthouse lawn and is proud that his name, and several of his relative’s names, are on it.

The memorial brings to his mind two quotes. One says, “When good people do nothing, evil will prevail.” The other says, “Freedom isn’t free.”

The memorial, which sits on the south lawn of the courthouse in Greenfield, was the idea of the late Durwood Purdy. He was a World War II veteran from Fontanelle and passed away in 2020.

Purdy had seen a memorial in the northern Iowa town of Britt, and he went to Griffith’s house one night in 2009 to pitch the idea of having one like it here in Adair County that would be able to honor anyone who had served their country, living or dead.

Mike Johnson, a funeral director from Stuart, entered the picture and offered the men seeking to do this black granite at cost, and the memorial began to be built. A June 2010 deadline for names to be submitted was extended and names just kept coming, a 2011 story in the Creston News Advertiser said.

Griffith, along with Greenfield’s Head-Endres American Legion Post 265 commander Larry Riley, are original members of the committee that oversee the memorial. Others are Durwood Purdy’s son Rollie Purdy and Lucas Queck. Griffith is the current president.

“We toyed with different places, and the county ended up saying we could put it here,” Griffith told the Free Press recently. “This, I think, is the perfect place for it.”

The top of the main piece to the memorial bears an inscription of an Iowa map which has an Iwo Jima-styled flag raising placed where Adair County is on the map. That was designed by local muralist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen.

At first, to have a name etched on the memorial was free. Now it costs $100 because of the scarcity of people who can do it.

The committee usually waits until a short list builds up, then they contract the man who etches the names. Recently, four more names were added to the memorial: James D. Kalbach, Jennifer K. Dickerson, Randall K. Dickerson and Donald W. Thompson.

Griffith, who entered into service straight out of high school during the Vietnam War era, is very proud of his service. He’s also very proud of how nice of a memorial Adair County has to thank its veterans. His name is on the memorial, as are several of his relatives.

As a veteran, Griffith is active in Fontanelle’s American Legion Carlson Post 247. He often serves at the funerals of veterans, which nowadays is usually a joint effort with all other area American Legion posts because of low numbers in their ranks. At one time, the Fontanelle American Legion post had approximately 130 members but now they’re down to about 30.

Veterans also post the colors at Nodaway Valley football games, as they have for over 60 years. Veterans work in almost every vocation in our communities imaginable. They also — together as the Greenfield, Fontanelle, and Bridgewater’s William Thompson Post 703 — invest in the future of area young people by giving scholarships or sending students to Boys State. These opportunities are often powered by fundraisers like Bingo at the Adair County Fair.

Griffith said some veterans choose to be involved in veterans organizations while others don’t, and that’s OK.

“It’s strictly a personal thing, to me,” Griffith said. “For one reason or another, some just don’t want to.”

Thursday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, a day primarily set aside to thank veterans who are living for their service to the United States. Nodaway Valley Community Schools will hold Veterans Day programs throughout that day Thursday, Nov. 11. The public, and especially veterans, are welcome to attend these programs.

The elementary program will begin at 9:30 a.m. The high school program will begin at 10:30 a.m. and a lunch for veterans and their families will follow. The middle school program in Fontanelle will begin at 2 p.m.

It’s important to mark Veterans Day so that nobody forgets the price that has been paid by the person who have served their country, Griffith said.

“I hardly ever go a day where someone doesn’t thank me for my service,” Griffith said. “I had a little boy who got on my school bus after a Veterans Day program. He stuck his hand out to me, shook my hand and said, ‘Thank you for saving our world.’ I didn’t save our world, but he thought I did. I’ll never forget him doing that. That was so meaningful to me that this little boy steps up and thanks you for your service.”

Those interested in having a name etched on the Adair County Veterans Memorial may contact Griffith at dlgriff221@gmail.com, or contact Riley, Purdy or Queck.