A new memorial in Rotterdam pays tribute to three local veterans. It was unveiled Sunday afternoon ahead of Memorial Day.

“I think it’s beautiful, I think it’s absolutely beautiful it’s a great memorial to him,” said Kathy Hart.

What You Need To Know

  • A new memorial honors three veterans from Rotterdam

  • Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara hosted the ceremony

  • Santabarbara plans to add more names to the memorial

Kathy’s husband William Hart died in 2018 from health complications caused by Agent Orange. He was a Vietnam War veteran.

Hart was known as a pillar of the community. After his time in the service, he would even dress up as a clown to entertain local kids.

“We were married almost 53 years and part of that was when he was in the service,” said Kathy. “He just loved life, he loved everybody.”

The new memorial also pays tribute to two other veterans from Rotterdam: Louis Lupi and EJ Knapik.

“We’re very proud of him, always have been,” said Knapik’s nephew, Jim Kulbako.

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara said there’s space for others to be recognized too, and that’s the plan.

“These are people that are defending the values we believe in, those same values and what you unite as Americans and we see so many people came together small different parts of the community and that happened today right before our very eyes,” said Santabarbara.

He hopes people will take the time to sit down on the memorials bench and share stories of people like Lou, EJ and Bill.

“He would be over the moon with this,” said Kathy. “He would be right in the middle of all of it.”