HARTSELLE, Ala. – The 2025 Purple Heart Memorial Service was held Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Purple Heart Monument in Sparkman Park, honoring fallen warriors from Morgan and Cullman counties. The ceremony was hosted by Chapter 2212, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Joe Hooper Medal of Honor Chapter and was led by Chapter Commander Clifford Gissell.
Each year, the annual ceremony pays tribute to those who were killed in action, as well as veterans who were wounded in service and have since passed away. During the ceremony, chapter members read aloud the names engraved on the monument, pausing after each to ring a solemn bell. When possible, a small Purple Heart flag is presented to a family member or close friend of the honoree.
This year, of the 167 names read, three Purple Heart recipients were newly added to the list of names on the monument: James Cooper, a charter member of the chapter and Korean War veteran; William Puckett, a World War II veteran; and Cullman native John Robert Tekulve, father of Jan Tekulve Alldredge, who attended the ceremony with her husband.
“It was a very touching ceremony to hear the names called and recognize other recipients honored from Cullman County,” said Alldredge. “Playing ‘Taps’ at the end of the ceremony made me feel so proud knowing my dad did his part to protect the freedom our nation knows today.”
Her husband, Jim Alldredge, reflected on his father-in-law’s service, “My father-in-law, John Robert Tekulve, would occasionally share memories of WWII. Having been drafted into the Army off the farm at 24, he had already developed survival skills. I always thought of him as ‘Sergeant York’ in the movie. They were both ‘smart soldiers.’”
With the final name having been read, the somber song “Taps” would be played, bringing the memorial service to a close.
For more information about the service, inscribing a Purple Heart recipient’s name on the monument or purchasing a brick for a veteran, contact Commander Clifford Gissell at 256-338-5617 or tothemax42@gmail.com.
