BETHEL —American Legion Auxiliary, Post 81, of Bethel is pleased to announce Miss Poppy 2023. She is Miss Lily Burrill of Albany Township, daughter of Jillian and Richard Burrill. Lily is 8 years old and attends Crescent Park Elementary School.
Lily, her sister Kimball (6), her mother Jillian, her Grandmother Joan Kimball, and her Great Grandmother (deceased) are all American Legion Auxiliary members, Post 68. Lily has a long family history of men and women who have served in the military.
Grandfather John Kimball served in the Army National Guard from 1979-1985 as a Combat Engineer and was discharged as a Sergeant. He is a member of the American Legion, Post 81.
Grandfather Frederick Burrill served in the Army National Guard as an Artillery Sergeant in Limestone and Houlton, Maine.
Great Aunt: Kathy Lessard (Deegan), Air Force.
Great Uncles: Allen Soule, Army (Germany) 1967-1973, and Navy reserve; Richard (Dick) B. Mitchell, Merchant Marine, Chief Engineer; Charles E. Burrill, CPO Navy (Vietnam).
Great Great Grandfathers:
James A. Spinney inducted Sep 4, 1918 Army, Blacksmith, Honorable discharge as Sergeant June 18, 1919 out of Camp Devens, Massachusetts.
Albert B. Kimball was inducted Sep 8, 1943, served in the 32nd Infantry at Camp Croft, South Carolina, and was Honorably discharged Nov, 18, 1943.
Richard O. Burrill, enlisted May 28, 1917, Corporal Co A 317 F Signal Corps, WWI (St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne), Honorable discharge June 14, 1919.
Great Great Uncles;
Wilmont Herrick Jr., Army Reserves
Albert Herrick, Marines (Vietnam)
Donald Herrick, Marines (Grenada)
Leonard E. Kimball, Army
Joseph Cafarella, US Marines (Raiders), Master Artillery Sergeant, WWII, Soloman Islands, Guadalcanal.
William Cafarella, US Marines, Rear Gunner (shot down by Nazi submarine over Atlantic Ocean), Parris Island
Civil War:
Charles Clark Kimball
George Wilder Kimball, Company A, 12th Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry, died Nov 12, 1863 in New Orleans
John Randall Burrill, Private, Company H, 12th Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry, died Aug 15, 1863 in New Orleans
Revolutionary War:
Israel Hutchinson, served as aide to George Washington.
Nehemiah Hutchinson, served as a private in the Revolutionary War
Benoni Burrill, Private (Drummer), Captain Edward Cobbs Company, Colonel Edward Mitchell’s Regiment, multiple enlistments.
In memory of and support of veterans, Miss Poppy will be giving out poppies two Saturday mornings before Memorial Day in front of the Bethel Foodliner Grocery, Main Street. She will be collecting donations to aid veterans and their families. Lilly will also be presented at the May 29 Memorial Day ceremony on the Bethel Common. Thanks for your support.
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