It’s been almost two years since David Lynch’s wife, Elizabeth, passed away. He visits her most Sundays at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
SAN ANTONIO — Air Force veteran David Lynch finds comfort in visiting his wife’s resting place ever since her passing almost two years ago. But during his latest visit, Lynch became upset and confused after he learned the flower arrangement he recently placed next to her headstone had mysteriously disappeared.
For two decades, Lynch served in the U.S. Air Force. He met his wife, Elizabeth, in San Antonio. Both were married before and had children of their own. Lynch and Elizabeth shared 27 years of marriage.
“My wife, she was a school teacher,” Lynch said. “At the time, I was working at Lackland as an instructor.”
Elizabeth battled rheumatoid arthritis, which eventually affected her lungs. Nearly two years ago, her health took a devastating turn.
“She eventually had a heart attack and I was doing CPR until the paramedics arrived and they took her away to Methodist Hospital,” Lynch recalled.
Since Elizabeth’s passing, Lynch has made weekly visits to her gravesite at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, a routine that has become a source of solace.
“I come here about every Sunday,” Lynch said.
But during last Sunday’s visit, that sense of peace was interrupted.
“I had some flowers that I had put out there and whenever I pulled up and I looked and didn’t see the flowers and I thought okay, maybe the wind blew it because it does get windy out here,” Lynch said. “Then I got out, looked around and the flowers weren’t there. Needless to say, I was pretty upset.”
Lynch said a volunteer at the cemetery’s reception center said someone months ago had allegedly stolen flowers from gravesites and sold them nearby.
“They got somebody down the road here that was selling flowers that were actually stolen from Fort Sam Houston,” Lynch said. “You gotta be pretty low to do that.”
For Lynch, it’s not just about the flowers.
“Those flowers are honoring her, and somebody violated that trust,” Lynch said.
While he acknowledges catching those responsible may be difficult, Lynch isn’t letting the experience defeat him. New flowers placed there by Lynch now sit beside Elizabeth’s headstone.
“I keep on, keep on going,” Lynch said.
In a statement, the Department of Veterans Affairs said, “Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is disappointed to learn of these allegations. VA is currently reviewing this matter and encourages visitors to report findings of theft or other crimes committed on cemetery property to local authorities.”