Libby veterans group seeks to restore cemetery angel statue

For decades, an angel has stood silent watch over the veterans buried in the Libby Cemetery. Now members of a local veterans group want to see her restored in time for her centennial.

Terry Pitcher, secretary and treasurer of American Legion Auxiliary No. 97, unveiled the ambitious project before the Libby City Council on Aug. 2. While the group plans to hold fundraising events, members hoped the city would pitch in to meet the estimated $6,000 price tag.

"She looks over the graves of our lost veterans as well as many souls that we miss," Pitcher told the council.

Erected in 1922 to commemorate the region's World War I dead, the statue once graced the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Mineral Avenue, Pitcher said. Each Memorial Day, local veterans organizations marched down the thoroughfare to commemorate the occasion under her gaze.

On Veterans Day 1969, vandals struck in what the Western News described as "a vicious attack."

"The statue's head and arms were broken off, and two metal plaques were torn from the base of the statue," reads the caption of a black and white newspaper photo of the dismembered figure. The defacement came during a wave of vandalism in Libby, according to news articles published at the time.

The figure, described in 1969 as the "unnamed angel," was relocated after suffering the damage. Today, the white statue still serves as a centerpiece of the annual Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies, often flanked by an honor guard and adorned with wreaths on the holidays — just in the city's cemetery.

But time has not been kind to the monument, leaving it significantly weathered. Pitcher said talk of refurbishment began in April. The group hopes to have the statue repaired — getting a "facelift" is how Pitcher described it to the City Council — over the winter months.

That would see her looking brand-new in time for her 100th anniversary in Libby, Pitcher said. She said the American Legion Auxiliary already had contacted Idaho Granite Works, the same company that refurbished the present-day statue on Mineral Avenue just a few years ago. They provided the initial cost estimate.

"We are ready, willing and able to move forward with this project, but we know we need help," Pitcher said, telling the council her group had raised $500 so far.

Although supportive of the project, council members refrained from making an immediate financial commitment — at least until they determine whether they could back the effort. City Clerk and Treasurer Samuel Sikes was unsure whether tax dollars could be used for such a project, especially since it may be seen as a religious monument.

Officials planned to check whether public dollars had gone toward the refurbishment of the existing war memorial statue on Mineral Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard. Council member Rob Dufficy made the motion to table the question until the issue is further studied.

Kenny Rayome Jr., one of the few members of public in attendance during the Aug. 2 meeting, offered support on behalf of the Libby Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1548. He also suggested city officials consider what in-kind donations they could offer for the effort.

"We fully support this," he said. "Whatever you end up doing, we will help. That's awesome."

After the meeting, Pitcher said residents interested in contributing to the cause could mail her a check at 1840 Elk Road in Libby. Checks should be made out to the American Legion Auxiliary No. 97 with a note indicating the donation is for the "restructure of the cemetery angel."

"We just are looking forward to reestablishing why she is there, looking over our veterans," Pitcher said.