‘Well done, good and faithful servant’: Beaufort Marine veteran honored in Congress
A Beaufort veteran who died this month was honored in Congress.
Ronald Voegeli, a Marine and Vietnam veteran who volunteered 30 years with the local Disabled American Veterans chapter, died Jan. 1 and was buried in Beaufort National Cemetery on Tuesday. He was recognized by U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-SC, in remarks on the House floor Wednesday.
“If a Lowcountry vet passed away without family to attend the funeral, Ron became their family,” Cunningham said during the one minute allotted for his remarks.
Voegeli enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1960 and served in Vietnam from 1969-71, according to information shared by his Disabled American Veterans chapter. He was later a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and administrative chief at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort before his retirement in 1980.
For the past three decades, he held numerous offices with the Disabled American Veterans at the local, state and national levels and is credited for recruiting hundreds of members to the Beaufort chapter.
Cunningham noted Voegeli’s work to raise money to buy vans to drive veterans to appointments, to expand the Beaufort National Cemetery and the hours spent helping veterans process Veterans Affairs paperwork. He included Voegeli’s dedication to ensuring all military veterans buried at the National Cemetery received a proper service.
“When we die, we all hope to hear ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,’” said Cunningham, quoting the Biblical book of Matthew. “That’s how Ron lived his life, and that’s what he deserves.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2020 at 11:00 AM.
