GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — More than 113 years after his death, a veteran of the Spanish-American War will have a tombstone on his grave for Veterans Day.
Frances Michalek is buried at St. Andrews Cemetery in Grand Rapids and never had a tombstone until his descendants discovered the lack of a marker and applied with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He died in 1911 following his service in the U.S. Navy during the war.
Frances Michalek’s grandson Francis Smith, who goes by Terry, said his father was just eight years old when his grandfather died.
“I always knew about him. Knew I was named after him,” Smith said.
He knew he had family buried in the St. Andrew’s Cemetery in Grand Rapids but did not know exactly where and how to get through the locked gate.
He saw a News 8 story just before Memorial Day and connected with some of his relatives trying to get a tombstone for the grave.
“We need to be thankful for all of our veterans to obviously keep us as a free country. … We’re very blessed to live where we do in this country,” Smith said.
Frances Michalak is Marcey Tejeda’s great-great-uncle. Her aunt Julie came across his service, inspiring Tejeda to do research of her own after her mother died.
“It was sad when I came down here the first time when I saw that he did not have a headstone,” Tejeda said. “I wanted to come and see what his headstone looked like because I knew he was a veteran and I couldn’t find it and so then I called St. Andrews and say, ‘Hey I can’t find it,’ and they said, ‘Well he doesn’t have a marker.’ I go, ‘He never had a marker?’ and he said, ‘No’ and that’s what I’m like, ‘Well wait a minute, he was in the Spanish-American War,” Tejeda said.
The family submitted paperwork to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“I think we had to change one thing, that’s all they needed, and sure enough they got right on it. It was simple. … They sent a beautiful letter,” Tejeda said.
With a headstone on his grave, his family knows his service will be recognized for future generations.
“He never received a flag nor did they receive a medal and you know I’d like to see him get that as well,” Tejeda said.