John W. Fleming executive officer and past post commander of Riley-Vest Post No. 9 of the Bluefield American Legion shares a laugh with Dreama Denver.
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — For the past two-plus years, Dreama Denver has been doing something very nice for World War II veterans from the region through the Always Free Honor Flights to Washington, D.C.
“Wow! You’re going to make me cry and I almost am,” Denver said as she walked to the podium to receive the “Distinguished Citizenship Award from Bluefield’s Riley Vest Post No. 9 of the American Legion. The post has been presenting the awards since 1937. “First of all, I want to thank every veteran in the room.”
Denver, a 1968 graduate of Bluefield High School said that nearly 10 years ago when she lost her husband of 30 years, actor Bob Denver, she wasn’t sure that she could continue. However she found strength in the concept: “Find your passion and do what you know is right.” That concept led her to discover that while West Virginia has the highest number of U.S. military veterans per capita, there was no Honor Flight in the state to transport veterans to the World War II Monument in Washington, D.C.
Since the first Honor Flight in June 2012, the Denver Foundation has taken veterans on four more Flights, with another one planned for May 20, 2015. “My love for you veterans is so deep,” Denver said. She said that nearly 10 years ago when her husband died, she never saw this coming. She said that she is also proud that on March 7, 2014, she was instrumental in getting “Country Roads” adopted as one of the state’s songs.
“Almost 10 years ago, I didn’t know if I could go on,” she said. “I didn’t know what my passion was, but Bob kept sending me angels that set me on a path that led me here,” she said. “I hope I’ve made him proud…