Beacon's World War II Honor Roll at Memorial Hall

The board of honor of hand-painted names was said to be the first of its kind in Hudson Valley communities during the early month's of America's involvement in World War II. The idea of an Honor Roll was promulgated by Beacon Post 203 of the American Legion for Memorial Day, 1942, to recognize all of the local men and women then serving in the Armed Forces. For the ensuing four years the growing list of names required more panels and more tins of black paint to highlight a city's pride in its young men and women serving overseas. Each passing Memorial Day of the war also saw more gold stars being painted alongside young men's names--a poignant reminder of a family's loss and a visible symbol of sacrifice for the whole city to grieve over every May 30th

The artwork of the Honor Roll fell upon the deft handiwork of Beacon professional sign painter Jasper Urquhart, himself a member of the American Legion, and with a son, James, in the Army. Urquhart designed the panels, did the carpentry, and hand painted all 1704 names on the Honor Roll in four years of uncompensated devotion to what he perceived to be his patriotic duty to the servicemen and to his community. On Memorial Day, 1946, with his work complete on a final top panel of 60 Gold Star names, Jasper Urquhart could put away his paint brushes for good. The war was over and the American Legion decreed that no more names would be added. That November of 1946, the Honor Roll was dismantled and put away into storage. Beacon had lost 60 young men over the course of the war, and mote than 1700 had served. Jasper Urquhart died at age 58 on June 10, 1948 ... and thereafter will be remembered by that generation as the artist who painted names of honor for a grateful city,