The chapter once again participated in Wreaths Across America on Saturday, December 18, honoring military veterans and their families buried or inurned at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma. And once again, the pandemic made things complicated.

There was no offsite parking, so traffic seeking to enter the cemetery was backed up considerably. That made meeting up with chapter colleagues difficult. While nearly two dozen members registered, nine were able to find each other at the site.

There are three Boston College alumni interred in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. We were able to honor LT William Kelleher ’58 virtually last year in a video prepared by the Boston College Veteran Alumni Network.

This year, we sought to recognize Edward Marikle ’51, an Army veteran who served in World War II. Marikle and his wife are inurned at Fort Rosecrans. Wreaths are not permitted at the urns. We were able to locate the plaque identifying the Marikle urns and gathered there. Brian Tsu ’00 led us in prayer to honor Edward and Dora Marikle.

TSGT Marikle was a native of Greater Boston. Following Army service, he graduated from then A&S as a math major. We have identified whom we believe to be his daughter as a resident of La Mesa, but have been unable to contact her. One could assume Marikle and his wife spent their later years in the San Diego area, hence their inurnment at Fort Rosecrans.

BC alumni participate in Wreaths Across America at several locations across the country, most significantly at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, as well as at national cemeteries in Bourne, Mass., and other locations.

Today would normally be when the chapter would join in Wreaths across America, annual wreath-laying ceremonies honoring deceased U.S. veterans at more than 2,000 locations across the country. Pandemic regulations have prevented such gatherings and have restricted access to national and other cemeteries.

The Boston College Veterans Alumni Network presented a video this morning in which several alumni chapters recognized, in brief pre-recorded talks, individual alumni veterans buried or interred at national cemeteries in their areas. San Diego Chapter Leader Lissa Tsu ’00 represented our chapter in the video. You can view it here. It’s an 18-minute video, and Lissa appears at the 14:15 mark . . . in case you want to fast forward.

Lissa talked about John C. Kelleher ’58, MBA’65, who served in the Navy and whose ashes are interred in the columbarium at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma.

A native of Hingham, Mass., John Christopher “Jack” Kelleher graduated from BC in 1958. In 1960, he joined the Navy and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School. During service off Vietnam, as a Lieutenant Junior Grade, he was Executive Officer of USS Whitfield County (LST-1169). He also served on the USS Oriskany (CV-34).

His most distinctive tour of duty was as 51st Commanding Officer of the USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”) 1963-65, during its refurbishment in dry dock in Boston. He used that opportunity also to marry Dianna in 1964 and obtain an MBA degree from BC in 1965. Following naval service, he returned to Massachusetts and worked as sales director at several technology companies. He later retired to Brewster, Mass., and spent summers there and winters with his family in San Diego. He died August 5, 2018.

Here is a gallery of photos of LT Kelleher, during his Navy service and with some of his family, provided by his son, John J. Kelleher. It includes photos from his wedding, welcoming his parents aboard USS Constitution, and with his son and grandsons.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery permitted wreath-laying ceremonies on a small-group, appointment basis last Thursday. Lissa and the group was able to lay a wreath near the location of the ashes of Mr. Kelleher and his wife.

San Diego Eagles first participated in Wreaths across America in 2019 and, with the expectation that pandemic restrictions will no longer be in place next December, the Chapter intends to be active in person in 2021. Two other Boston College alumni are buried or interred at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and five alumni veterans are buried/interred at Miramar National Cemetery.

San Diego Eagles participated for the first time as a group in the annual Wreaths across America event earlier this month. They joined several hundred participants on December 14 at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma to lay wreaths on hundreds of graves of veterans and members of their families.

Wreaths across America sponsors and organizes events such as this at national cemeteries throughout the US. The Boston College Veterans Alumni Network has sponsored  the event for several years at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass., on Cape Cod. Alumni chapters have also begun to participate at Arlington National Cemetery.

The next national event will take place on December 19, 2020.