Waterways is now home to a cherry tree honouring a veteran of World War Two.
Members of the Royal Canadian Legion 165 gathered outside the branch Tuesday for a tree planting ceremony commemorating John Montgomery.
Montgomery was a gunner for the Royal Canadian Artillery and passed away in 2014.
His daughter Sue Giebel, who’s also a vet, was on hand for the event and she tells Mix News people like her father laid the foundation for vets of today.
“Any way veteran that fought during World War Two are the true heroes. They’ve paved the way for so many people, even younger people in the military today. So, it’s because of them that we have the freedom we do.”
Branch President Pat Duggan was also in attendance and while he didn’t know Montgomery personally – he can attest that John was a true Canadian hero.
“Like a lot of Canadians did back in the day and probably do nowadays to some degree, fibbed about his age when he got in to make sure he got the chance to participate and serve his country.”
Duggan notes the timing of the planting was fitting as the Legion’s 70th anniversary took place last week.
Giebel, who was accompanied by her son Kyle, says it means the world to have her father honoured in this way.
“I know my father’s always with me, and this being the 70th anniversary of the Legion in Fort McMurray, I thought this was the perfect time to honour my dad by planting a memorial tree. I always wanted to do something.”
A tree planting ceremony at the @Branch165_RCL took place earlier this afternoon.
A cherry tree is being planted outside the Legion to commemorate the memory of John Montgomery, a WWII veteran.
John’s daughter Sue Giebel is seen here piling on soil #rmwb #ymm pic.twitter.com/spDm1aZuuF
— MIX 103.7 News (@Mix1037FMNews) July 2, 2019
