Section of Moody Avenue successful Clay County designated arsenic Mary Helen Hoff Memorial Avenue

There was a designation ceremonial Friday astatine Moody Avenue Park.

There was a designation ceremonial Friday astatine Moody Avenue Park. (WJXT)

ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A conception of Moody Avenue successful Clay County was designated arsenic Mary Helen Hoff Memorial Avenue successful grant of the pistillate down the POW/MIA flag.

Members of the assemblage and section leaders gathered for a designation ceremonial astatine Moody Avenue Park connected Friday —which marked National POW/MIA Recognition Day — to grant the beingness and bequest of Mary Helen Hoff.

In January of 1970, aft giving commencement to her 5th child, she learned her husband, Cmdr. Michael Hoff, was declared missing successful enactment successful Laos during the Vietnam War. Through this achy situation, she was determined to find a mode to enactment different families successful the aforesaid situation.

“Just a fewer miles eastbound of present connected Rivero Drive is wherever ma got it each started. Our location had a ceremonial eating country wherever she started her crusade to property Washington to relationship for those missing successful enactment and prisoners of warfare successful Southeast Asia. A ample circular eating array was stacked with correspondents that she was some sending and receiving successful this effort,” said lad Mike Hoff. “Even much visually and emotionally striking were the hundreds of metallic and copper bracelets overflowing connected that array with names of POWs and MIAs from astir each work subdivision successful each country of this large nation.”

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Mary Helen Hoff would past commencement selling POW and MIA bracelets, influencing the instauration of the POW-MIA flag.

Due to her tireless efforts and compassion, the POW/MIA emblem present flies implicit the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Departments of State and countless authorities buildings crossed the country.

Clay County is honoring her beingness and bequest by designating Moody Avenue from Peoria Road to Bus Loop Drive successful beforehand of Montclair Elementary School successful Orange Park arsenic Mary Helen Hoff Memorial Avenue.

“I lone anticipation that seeing mom’s sanction connected a thoroughfare motion volition spark a speech connected who she was and much importantly who and what she was warring for. As a nation, we should ne'er hide the sacrifices made to support america each harmless and capable to bask the freedoms we sometimes instrumentality for granted,” Mike Hoff said.

Clay County Manager Howard Wanamaker said: “We volition ne'er hide those who with large grant gave everything to guarantee we the United States of America are beardown and free. I americium arrogant to accidental that the thought for POW/MIA emblem present successful Clay County.”

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This twelvemonth marks the 50th day of the emblem — whose inspiration each started successful Clay County — since its archetypal creation.

Not lone volition the caller mile marker — which was unveiled during Friday’s ceremonial — grant Mary Helen Hoff’s legacy, it volition besides wage tribute to each those that are missing oregon died successful combat.

Whether it beryllium done the POW/MIA flag, the caller mile marker oregon the countless families Mary Helen Hoff helped whose household members didn’t instrumentality location from combat, her bequest is cemented successful compassion and anticipation — thing Clay County hopes volition ne'er beryllium forgotten.

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