Veterans Day is special to 84-year-old whose 3 husbands, father and brother all served

Barbara Perry, an 84-year-old resident of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, never served in the military. But she said Veterans Day is special because all three of her husbands were veterans, as well as her father and brother.

“It’s a day that I look forward to,” she said. “To celebrate and think of all the ones I lost.”

In her room, she has three crochet flowers hanging on her wall to represent each of her veteran husbands.

Perry was among the crowd who participated Friday in the annual Veterans Day ceremony at the veterans home.

Michelle Hiraishi, deputy director of Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation, served as the guest speaker. She told stories of her childhood growing up as a military brat and about her time serving in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps.

She told about the time she was handed an M16 rifle and an M16 manual with orders to learn how to operate the gun — and also to train others.

The crowd chuckled when hearing Hiraishi’s tale of learning tact as an administrator who had to tell a colonel, with a much higher rank, that he was ruining statistics she was collecting — and that he needed — because he didn’t take a physical fitness test.

Hiraishi said the military provided her with a can-do attitude and more strength than she thought she had. She continues to serve in leadership roles with several nonprofits and is a volunteer with Family Court in the Children in Transition program.

“I learned to keep going, to keep moving and to be proud while doing that,” she said.

Hiraishi, who also was a grand marshal at this year’s Hawai‘i Island Veterans Day Parade, thanked all the veterans for continuing to carry that pride they all share.

The ceremony in the veterans home courtyard included several activities and special appearances by people who had veteran connections, including a student who led the Pledge of Allegiance and a member of the Hula Sisters who danced.

U.S. flags flew above the veterans home front entrance and other red, white and blue decor, including a flower arrangement in front of the speaker’s podium, were hung and placed throughout the facility and ceremony location in honor of those who served.

While Perry had three husbands, the last, Sydney Perry, who served in World War II, was the love of her life.

He was a retired pipefitter at Pearl Harbor on O‘ahu and died five years ago in his early 90s.

Perry salutes him and the love they shared each week during karaoke at the veterans home with the final song, singing her rendition of “The Best Thing That Ever Happened” by Gladys Knight.

“He was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said.

Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home Administrator Kaui Chartrand thanked everyone for attending and celebrating veterans, saying it is a privilege to serve those who ensured the safety and protection of the United States.

The opening prayer also urged everyone to remember to love all veterans, not just on Veterans Day but every day.

Friday’s ceremony was a highlight of a week full of events in honor of veterans at the state facility. Other activities included a drive-by salute by the Hawai‘i Police Department, a meet-and-greet event with people from Pōhakuloa Training Area and a drive-by salute by the Hawai‘i Air National Guard. A motorcycle drive-by in honor of veterans also is planned Sunday.

Stacyn Sakuma, recreation director at the veterans home, said the week was filled with much love and appreciation for the veterans.

“We are so thankful to have a strong community that loves our veterans very much,” said Sakuma. “Each visit this week touched each and every one of our veterans and you could just see it in their faces when we had these special activities. We are truly grateful.”