The Town of Clarence Veteran’s Memorial is dedicated to the millions of United States Military Veterans who have served and continue to serve our country.
The site is located at the Clarence Main Street Town Park in front of the historic Clarence Town Clubhouse. A memorial fountain, with names of Clarence residents killed in action, is at the center of the site, with five surrounding granite walls that include nearly 500 Veterans honoring their service to our country. The modest height of the panels serves to blend into the historic nature of the surrounding landscape. Enduring materials were chosen for the memorial; granite forever stone ensures the preservation of this tribute.
The pursuit for creating the Clarence Veteran’s Memorial started soon after the recent loss of Captain Andrew D. Byers, a longtime Clarence resident, honor student and star athlete. Byers graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2008. He served overseas as a Green Beret before he was killed in action in Afghanistan while performing rescue efforts to save his platoon from enemy fire in November 2016. He was posthumously promoted to Major and awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
After his funeral services, Andrew’s twin sister, Lauren, commented how there was no place to go to honor and remember the names of the soldiers of Clarence, New York. The Clarence Rotary Foundation answered the call to create a permanent gathering place where tribute can be paid to Clarence residents, relatives, friends, and fellow Americans who served.
Tredo Engineers was engaged to begin site plans in late 2018. The site design underwent significant alterations as an effort to integrate the new memorial with existing war monuments nearby developed. Ultimately, the project expanded to slightly more than ¼-acre of new development with a custom infinite edge and LED lit fountain, five stone monument walls, 5 flag poles, and a parade ground for ceremonial use. The site was also made handicap accessible through new connections to existing nearby parking lots.
The fountain mechanism was designed by The Fountain People of San Marco, Texas while the concrete basin was designed and waterproofed by Tredo Engineers. Site electrical was designed by EBS Engineers of Cheektowaga, NY. The stone veneer on the fountain and the monument walls were provided by Stone Art Memorials of Lackawanna, NY.
The Clarence Veterans Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 31st, 2021, with over 3,000 guests in attendance. The ceremony included music provided by the United States Air Force Band and featured the raising of each military branch’s flag. New State Assemblyman Edward Rath commented that this was the nicest veteran’s memorial he had visited.
