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Maupin’s parents made sure son, others not forgotten
Keith Maupin told me after a visit to Washington last May that he had met with President Bush for the eighth time about finding his son, Army reservist Keith M. “Matt” Maupin.
He also met with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army chief of staff, and left Washington feeling more hopeful.
“They’re all committed to finding Matt,” he said at that time.
Since his son vanished, Keith Maupin has spent his days at the Yellow Ribbon Support Center near Cincinnati, which has sent thousands of gift boxes to troops overseas. The center is where he and Carolyn have worked to make sure their son — as well as fallen soldiers — were not forgotten.
They started the Matt Maupin Scholarship Fund, benefiting students from the soldier’s alma mater, Glen Este High School. The Summer to Remember, a series of events in the Dayton area, helped raise money for that scholarship fund.
The Maupins also created 180 scholarships in honor of fallen servicemen, including Marine Cpl. Richard A. Gilbert Jr., 26, of Dayton, who had been a straight-A student at Sinclair Community College majoring in political science when he put his studies on hold to serve his country.
Gilbert was among 30 Marines and a Navy sailor killed in a helicopter crash in western Iraq on Jan. 26, 2005.
In August 2006, Keith Maupin came to Dayton on behalf of the Yellow Ribbon Support Center to award $1,000 scholarships in Gilbert’s name to two honor students majoring in political science.
At the small, informal ceremony at Sinclair, Keith Maupin noted the generosity of individuals and businesses, including a Cincinnati company that donated $20,000, made it possible.
“We just don’t want them to be forgotten like in Vietnam. That’s the bottom line,” he said.
Because of the tireless efforts of the Maupins, those fallen servicemen will not be forgotten.
And neither will their son, Matt.
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By Doug
March 31, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
What a wonderful way to remember the fallen soldiers and to ignite interest and education of future students. It would be great idea if some part of the military/government would offer yearly $1000 scholarships to be awarded at the high schools of each of the 4,000+ fallen soldiers.By Eric
March 31, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
Welcome home fallen soldier.