Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} It took a little while for Mary Gregory to find her great uncle on Memorial Day. She'd never been to the San Francisco National Cemetery to visit the gravesite of Frank George Thomas, who was killed by a sniper's bullet in the Korean War in 1953. But Mary felt moved to come from her home in Emerald Hills, near Redwood City, for a visit on this Memorial Day.
"He was only 22. I wanted to pay my respects. I just turned 24, I just felt it would be good to honor him."
Mary honored Bay Area native Private First Class Frank Thomas with a bouquet, a prayer and some private thoughts, from one young person to another.
But Mary feels many members of her generation don't get that.
"They may be indifferent, may not comprehend how important it is, how important these people are. They've given so much of their lives just to keep us safe and protected."
Dean Volker of San Francisco grew up in a military family and came to the cemetery to do some artwork today, painting a sketch of a headstone in the foreground and a number of others in the background.
He says art helps him concentrate deeply.
Local
And while he does not consider himself super patriotic, as he looked at the cemetery grounds and its few visitors, he did wonder about what he was seeing.
"We are still at war, but nothing is going on, nobody thinking much about it at all."
Mary Gregory was one of those who was thinking about that.
"We need to do more for our service members."
And this Memorial Day, she did.
