By: John Cuddy 3-23 The president of Edgar J. Racicot Funeral Home, formerly in Lawrence Massachusetts, now operating in Dracut, Massachusetts, is Lawrence native and US Marine Veteran, Daniel Cotnoir. Operating since 1899, Racicot Funeral is one of the oldest businesses in continual operation in the Merrimack Valley. Although US Marine Dan Cotnoir, was featured […]
By: John Cuddy – 02-23 US Navy Seabee Veteran and Andover resident Robert “Bob” Brown is the son of a US Military Veteran and Massachusetts firefighter. The Valley Patriot first met up with Bob Brown last year at a Chamber of Commerce function at Salvatore’s in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Bob and his staff helped write […]
By: John Cuddy – 01-23 Little did I know that my previous story about US Army Medic Steve Bird from Groveland, and his brave efforts to treat the wounded on the battlefields of Vietnam in 1968, would lead me to this feature about Art Jacobs, who was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and grew up in […]
By: John Cuddy – 12/22 Lawrence’s Ed Murphy grew up in the South Lawrence East neighborhood, living in Veteran’s Housing at the Lawrence Stadium Projects as his dad, Edward J. Murphy was a Navy veteran. He later moved to Bailey Street with his parents and three sisters. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in […]
By: John Cuddy – 11/22 Lawrence’s, and the rest of our Merrimack Valley’s Homeless are fed daily by organizations such as the Cor Unum Meal Center, Bread & Roses, Good Shepard Center, and the TMF Organization, all working tirelessly to feed our homeless. Curious to find out how many of our Merrimack Valley (and our […]
By: John Cuddy – Oct. 2022 HAVERHILL – Natives of Massachusetts, Sal DeFranco and his wife Dana own Battle Grounds Coffee Company, an award-winning roasting and café operation located in Haverhill, Newburyport, and Methuen. Battle Grounds Coffee was built on a foundation of service. Whether that manifested in providing clothing for veterans, supplies for students, […]
By: John Cuddy – Sept. 2022 Groveland’s Steve Bird was conceived by his parents in 1946 at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. His dad was a US Army Soldier, serving our Nation as an artillery instructor at West Point, teaching future US Army Officers. Steve grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and […]
By: John Cuddy – Aug. 2022 Lawrence Massachusetts Director,Veterans’ Services, Sargent First Class Jaime L. Melendez Jr. US Army-Retired, was born in Lawrence Massachusetts. He attended the local Lawrence Public schools and finished high school at his parent’s home on the island of Puerto Rico. He has an associate degree from Central Texas University. Jaime […]
By: John Cuddy – 07-22 Dracut’s newly hired, Veterans Services Officer, David Campisano joined the US Army in 2001, serving in light infantry units until 2016. David trained as an Infantryman, military occupational specialty IIB. He also qualified as an Army Ranger in 2009. Ranger training is voluntary and is one of the most […]
By Kane – July, 2022 Kane went on a field trip to interview Haverhill Veteran Service Officer Jeffrey Hollett at his office in Haverhill, MA. Jeffrey has dedicated his professional life to helping Veterans navigate civilian life after serving our country with honor. Jeffrey, who originally served as the VSO in Dracut, stated that Haverhill […]
The Silent Generation Lawrence’s Edmund “Ed” Nasser is a US Navy Veteran, who dedicated his entire life to his family, his church, and his community. He is well known in the Merrimack Valley through an involvement with St Patrick’s Church for most of his adult life. Ed Nasser grew up in South Lawrence where he […]
A Veteran, Father, Husband, Brother, and Hero By: John Cuddy – May, 2022 On April 16th of this year, a reunion was held on the shore of Rock Pond in Georgetown, Massachusetts. Family and friends gathered to remember a Haverhill Veteran, Frederick “Buddy” Hansen, a husband, brother, and dad, who drowned in this pond while […]
Because honoring veterans is so much a part of what we do at The Valley Patriot, each year we honor people who themselves honor our hero service men and women here at home. With the passing of our good friend and hero veteran John Ratka in 2019 this award was immediately named in his honor […]
By: John Cuddy – April, 2022 EDITORS NOTE: Army Veteran Jeannette Mason was given the Valley Patriot’s “John Ratka Hero Veteran Award” last week at the newspaper’s annual BASH Scholarship and Award Night. Valley Patriot columnist and Navy veteran, John Cuddy, presented the award. State Senator Diana DiZoglio was on hand to congratulate her. A […]
By: John Cuddy – March, 2022 Raised in Arlington, Massachusetts in veterans housing, and now living in Pelham, New Hampshire Scott Hyder, is the founder and current President of Hidden Battles. The non-profit organization strives to help preserve the healthy minds of veterans, fire fighters, police officers and other first responders. The organization’s mission is […]