Fewer flags will wave atop the grave stones this year at the cemeteries along South Main Street.

Chuck Hetrick, 70, and his wife, Alice, 67, of Chicora have made it their mission to replace these flags annually and have done so for the past 13 years.

Chuck Hetrick said The Vietnam Veterans of America of Butler used to perform this act of remembrance, but after the branch disbanded, the Hetricks took its place.

Hetrick seems to enjoy this role, but as the years have passed, Chuck has noticed a decrease in the number of flags he places, due to missing, damaged or hard to find markers

He said when he first began, he placed 11 dozen flags, just the right number, but over the past few years, the number he returns home with is growing, usually by a half dozen or a dozen each year.

“We came home with three dozen this year,” he said. “There’s 36 veterans without flags.”

These cemeteries, known commonly as South Side Cemetery, are generally thought of as one large cemetery, but are actually three separate graveyards.

Groundskeeper John Twerdok, 87, tends to two of the three sections.

He said he didn’t know Hetrick took over placing the flags, but he has noticed the lesser number of flags.

“There’s always kids playing around there,” he said. “You can’t stop them.”

Twerdok said there are some markers that date back to the 1800s and made of a brittle limestone. He said children knock markers over and cause other damage, but there is not much he can do to prevent it.

“You’d have to be out there all night,” he said. “I don’t get around as good as I used to.”

Twerdok said the children could be the cause of missing flags, but that frost and weather also lead to the breaking of the flag holders, which he admitted are sometimes the only way for anyone to recognize the graves of veterans.

“A lot of those old veterans,” he said, “they don’t have markers.”

Twerdok said new graves feature additional plates and plaques that are easily recognizable, but many don’t have these features, or the plates they do have are faded, cracked or smashed.

“I have a list of all the veterans that are buried there, but some of them are hard to decipher,” he said.

Twerdok said he’s doing his best despite his age. He said he tried to retire last year, but St. Mark’s Church, owner of one section, has yet to find his replacement.

“I still take care of it out of the goodness of my heart,” he said. “It’s got to be done.”

Twerdok is worried that the cemetery may end up in the city’s hands, if he can’t continue as groundskeeper. He said it may be imminent, specifically due to finances.

“We don’t collect any money for perpetual care,” Twerdok said. “When we use up all of our money, that’s gonna be it.”

Despite the hardships, Twerdok said he would like to continue seeing new, fresh flags replace the weathered banners each year, but there is still only so much he is allowed do. He is not allowed to fix the markers, even if they need it.

“I can’t mess with them,” he said.

But maybe Twerdok won’t have to. Hetrick said he recently received a tip that there may be someone who is able to help work with both Hetrick and Twerdok to figure out a solution.

Hetrick said he would like to see or have a map created that indicates which markers are those of veterans, rather than just have a list of names or breakable flag holders to scrutinize.

Hetrick too said his age may become a restriction, and he is not sure how much longer he will be able to refresh the flags. He said he wants someone to continue doing the job after he has to stop, and he would like to help continue this tradition in any way he can.

“We’d like to get it set up for the next person,” he said.