Skiatook's Justin Lambillotte had a passion for the military.

"He loved being in the army," his mother Michelle Atkins said. "He loved what he was doing."

He was remembered around town for his sense of humor.

"He made cowboy boot skates. He took a pair of his cowboy boots and made roller skates out of them," Atkins said. "He had three pairs. He skated everywhere. At Fort Hood, he was known as the skating cowboy."

Unfortunately, it was at Fort Hood in 2022 when tragedy struck. Lambillotte was found dead in his barracks. He was 26 years old. Atkins says the family wants to honor him and other Skiatook vets.

"It took a tragedy for us to notice that our veterans deserve a place to go that was happy," Atkins said.

At Osage Gardens Cemetery in Skiatook, there's a veteran's memorial already

See Full Page