VAN METER, Iowa —

More than 15 years after Wreaths Across America first came to Iowa, the family of the man who helped bring the tradition to the state is marking their first Christmas without him by continuing the work he started.

Patrick Palmersheim, Iowa’s former executive director of Veterans Affairs, introduced the national nonprofit to the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in 2008, the year the cemetery was founded. That first year, Palmersheim and a small group of volunteers laid just seven wreaths to honor fallen service members.

“It’s very humbling,” said his daughter, Michele Knaack. “We came today and everybody just knows what to do. He ran things so seamlessly.”

On Monday morning, volunteers gathered to prepare for Saturday, when they plan to place about 5,200 wreaths at the cemetery,

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