Marianna Winchester who organized fundraisers to honor fallen Marine son is herself honored
Ronald Winchester's sister Kristine Winchester, left, his mother Marianna Winchester, and former Marine Denis Oliverio of St. Augustine Florida, at a fundraising event at R.J. Daniels in Rockville Center on Saturday. Credit: Tom Lambui
The finality began to sink in for Marianna Winchester as she prepared for Saturday’s final fundraiser event.
For more than a dozen years, Winchester organized an annual fundraiser in her son’s memory called the 1st Lt. Ronald Winchester Walk of Honor. The event raised money for initiatives that support injured Marines, service dogs and scholarships. It grew larger as years passed, providing a place of healing for not only those who knew her fallen son, but for any service member.
As Winchester, 76, sat with her close friend Pan Schaefer on Friday, she began to cry.
“She said, ‘I can’t believe this is the last one,’ ” Schaefer recalled.
Schaefer and others quickly reminded her: Her son’s memory will endure long after the fundraisers end.
On Saturday afternoon, the final walk of honor began at RJ Daniels in the Winchesters' hometown of Rockville Centre. The bar crawl ended at nearby Kasey’s Kitchen and Cocktails.
Schaefer said Winchester planned the final event to be a celebration and thanks for all those who contributed to the effort over the years. But Schaefer said they knew it was important to flip the script and to honor Winchester.
“She more than deserves it,” Schaefer said. “She’s trying to thank everyone today, but we all need to thank her for all she’s done these years to keep this going and remembering all these people that really need to get together once a year.”
Winchester said it's been a lot to ask of people to run the event each year.
"There comes a time where I have to say thank you," Winchester said, adding that she hopes to start a different event such as a golf outing.
"It'll never be over," she said of preserving her son's memory.
The event drew supporters from all across the country.
Denis Oliverio of St. Augustine, Florida, flew up Saturday morning to attend. Oliverio, a tank platoon commander in the Marines, who was injured in combat about a year after Ronald Winchester was killed. During his recovery, Oliverio signed up for a service dog through America's VetDogs.
His dog happened to be sponsored by Winchester. The black lab golden retriever mix, aptly named Winchester, will soon turn 13.
Rockville Centre trustee Katie Conlon presented a village proclamation to Winchester for her "tireless efforts" to remember her son and for being a 'shining example for our community.'
Fighting through tears, Winchester thanked everyone who has made the fundraisers possible.
"It's not about me," she said. 'It's about you and the love and support that you've given me for my son for the past 15 years.'
Nearly nineteen years have passed since Winchester’s son died in the Al Anbar province in western Iraq. Ron, a star lacrosse and football player at Chaminade High School, was killed by an improvised explosion device less than two weeks into his second tour of duty as a Marine. He was 25.
"Everybody grieves differently," Winchester said. "This is the way I show my grief by having all these people come to say, Ronnie would love you."
Winchester said her son's final words were to take care of his Marines, a mission she has carried ever since.
"If they need me, I'll be there," she said.
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
