New Redwood Falls cemetery honors fallen MN veterans

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. (KEYC) - A new cemetery in Redwood Falls is honoring the fallen veterans of Minnesota.

Families of fallen veterans in Redwood Falls can now be closer to their loved ones because of the new cemetery dedicated to them.

“Yes, this is the most beautiful resting place for our veterans,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). “Those who served our country, those who put their lives on the line. And when family members want to bury their loved ones, they want to be nearby, and they want them to be with in the same rusting grounds as others that have served.”

The cemetery was made possible due to the former farmer that once owned the land along with a $5.9 million grant from the Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

“I guess I was very interested, and my folks are buried in Little Falls, and I am very proud of everything that they have done with the cemetery,” said Rob Lesage, the former owner of Land/Brother First Buried. “So, I was very anxious to be a part of it.”

The development process for this cemetery started in 2009, in celebration of its completion, community members and Minnesota government officials came out to commemorate this special moment.

“I like to encourage people to think of it not just as a cemetery, but as a monument,” said David Swantek, Deputy Director of Memorial Affairs. “It’s really a monument to veterans, to their service and sacrifice to our nation. It’s more than just a field of granite headstones. It’s really a memorial and monument to their service.”

Officials from the Minnesota State Veterans Redwood Falls Cemetery want community members to know that they will be scheduling burials for families starting on Monday.

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