By TIM PRESTON - The Independent
LOUISA — Cold, wind and snow are expected as the background for a somber scene at the Lawrence County Courthouse in Louisa today as city officials and local military veterans place a fresh wreath at the veteran’s memorial in honor of Matthew Sluss-Tiller.
Flags in Louisa and Lawrence County were flown at half staff Tuesday and residents and elected officials alike acknowledged Sluss-Tiller’s sacrifice as part of their official business.
“We will pause for a moment of silence before our meeting tonight,” said Louisa Mayor Teddy Preston on Tuesday afternoon.
Sluss-Tiller, 35, was one of three soldiers who lost their lives when an improvised explosive device was detonated at a girls school where he was serving as part of a civil affairs mission. He was a 1993 graduate of Lawrence County High School.
Preston described the soldier’s family as “an integral part of Louisa,” and expressed the city’s sympathies to his entire family.
“Our sympathies go out to the entire family whose husband and son fought for the freedom of this country,” Preston said.
While he had never met Sluss-Tiller personally, the mayor said the nature of life in a small city gave the soldier a connection to everyone there.
“His mother taught school here,” the mayor reflected. “He went to school where my children went to school. I just feel like we owe him something in appreciation of his fighting for our country.”
The mayor said members of a local veterans group plan to join him after a funeral this afternoon to assist with the wreath placement. While the wreath placement won’t be any form of official military ceremony, Preston said the veterans will remain in uniform for the occasion.
The wreath is expected to be put in place between 2 and 2:30 p.m.
Services for Sluss-Tiller will be visitation on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. at Burnaugh Baptist Church. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.
