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Photograph by Aimee Cregger
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Headstone And Bench Finally Rest With Local Soldier Thomas Wilson's Grave
By Aimee Cregger
On Aug. 27, 2007, local soldier Thomas Wilson of Maurertown was killed during active duty in Afghanistan. His mother, Julie Hepner, and three siblings, Chloe, Chelsea and Ethan, learned of the news the next day.
Wilson had decided to join the Army a year earlier and was two weeks away from his return home. He had dreams of returning to West Virginia University to finish his degree in wildlife and fishery management.
Wilson was buried on the family farm owned by Hepner's father in Maurertown.
"His grave is in the field and Thomas loved nature," Hepner said.
For unknown reasons, the Army did not provide or purchase a headstone for Wilson's grave, so for some time, he did not have one.
"I felt like I wasn't honoring Thomas, but I know he would say 'It's ok mom'," said Hepner.
A few of Wilson's friends joined together creating The Friends of Thomas Wilson to raise money for a headstone and also a bench to place by his gravesite for visitors.
Wilson's grandfather looked on his farm for a piece of stone that would make a good headstone. Hepner said one day he found a 300-pound stone sticking up out of the creek and was determined to make it the one.
After some time, enough money was raised to engrave the stone and build a bench to place by his graveside. Hepner took the stone to Rinker's in Mount Jackson and had it engraved just the way the family wanted it.
"It took some time because of the thickness and ro...
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