Karla Brown of Downtown Karla Brown, left, is pictured here with her friend and volunteer Allene Kaiser, who helps with Brown’s annual Memorial Day project. (Photo courtesy of Karla Brown)
When Karla Brown goes out this year to honor the deceased U.S. service members on Memorial Day, she will keep a promise she made years ago to G. Mark LaFrancis, who was president of the Home with Heroes Foundation Inc.
Brown did not have flowers for the graves of all of the service members, but LaFrancis asked her to remember one in particular.
Each year, Karla Brown and her volunteers honor Wilson Brown with two flowers. Brown is the only Medal of Honor recipient buried at Natchez National Cemetery. Flags are placed on the graves by the Natchez National Cemetery staff and volunteers. (Photo courtesy of Karla Brown)
“He donated $100, and he asked me to make sure we placed a flower on the grave of Wilson Brown, who was African American, and the only Medal of Honor recipient buried in the Natchez National Cemetery,” Brown recalled. “Each year we place two roses on his grave.”
LaFrancis died in June 2024 following a long battle with cancer. This year, Brown and her volunteers will honor him by placing a flower on his grave.
LaFrancis was a retired veteran of the military. He served a total of 23 years in the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. He was also director of the Miss-Lou Military Museum and Veterans Welcome/Information Center.
Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 26, and as the day approaches, Brown is seeking volunteer help — and donation of flowers. Brown is known for her work through Downtown Karla Brown.
“Last year we had eight buckets of flowers, which was a record,” Brown said, noting her volunteer project “gets bigger each year.” Last year, they bought out the flowers at Walmart in Natchez and Vidalia and grocery stores, she said. They want to do the same this year.
She also had about a dozen volunteers, she said.
When the Flower Station learned of Brown’s needs last year, the business quickly donated flowers for the cause, Brown said. Moreton’s Flowerland also pitched in to help. Brown said she was extremely grateful to these businesses.
Brown typically purchases all of the flowers that she can afford and place them in a bucket of water one day before Memorial Day. Early the next day, she visits the cemetery where she and her volunteers place one flower in front of the graves of the military service members.
Karla Brown of Downtown Karla Brown and her volunteers honor the men and women who served in all of the wars — and all branches of the U.S. military — on Memorial Day. They place flowers on the graves of the deceased military service members. (Photo courtesy of Karla Brown)
While she would love to honor all of the service members with a flower, she usually does not have enough to go around, she said. Even so, she is mindful to cover the graves of men and women who served in all of the wars — and all branches of the military, she said.
Brown said she moved to Natchez 13 years ago, and for the last 12 years, she has been placing flowers on the graves of U.S. service members. Natchez is the first place she has lived that has a national cemetery, she said.
“Memorial Day is about our fallen soldiers,” she said. “We honor them because of their sacrifice and because we’re living in a free country.”
Placing flowers on the graves is an act of reverence and something that should not be rushed, Brown said. She asks her volunteers to take a flower, stand in front of the grave, reflect and say, “Thank you.”
“I ask them to really think about what these people did and to give some reverence,” she said. “We take our time and think about their service to our nation. I really encourage people to do that.”
As in previous years, Brown is asking all volunteers to meet her at the Natchez National Cemetery at 6:30 a.m. She said they can finish in about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the amount of help she has. Afterwards, they will go to breakfast.
Anyone interested in assisting Brown as a volunteer or who wishes to make a donation for the purchase of flowers may contact her at 907-540-0001.