SKIATOOK – It was a family affair at the Feb. 15 groundbreaking ceremony for Veterans Park.

The Park is being created in honor of the late Justin Lambillotte, who was a soldier when he died at Fort Hood, Texas in December 2022.

Justin’s family played a major role in creating the Park, which will be a place to honor all veterans “and to find peace and to learn more about our military.”

Attending the Saturday event were Lambillotte’s mother, Michelle Atkins.

Also, Evelyn Mynhier, Justin’s grandmother and president of Eufaula VFW Auxiliary Post 8798.

Joining them were Evelyn’s sisters, Pat McGowin and Vicki Shaw.

Michelle Adkins, of Skiatook, spearheaded the drive for the park.

Adkins noted that the city didn’t have a veteran’s park “so it became our mission to build one.”

Sergeant First Class Erik Wolf, who was the casualty assistance officer assigned to the Lambillotte family when he passed away, said “It was a rough start. The transformation I have seen take place in this family has been phenomenal.”

He said the Park “is bringing closure to not just them, every veteran in this area, every family can come take part in this, this is a place where you can come and celebrate the life of your family members and their service to the country.”

The goal is to have the veteran’s park open by Veterans Day 2026.

You can donate the Lambo Veteran Memorial Fund at Lambo Veteran Memorial, P.O. Box 158, Skiatook, Okla., 74070.

The site of the 3-acre park is on W.C. Rogers Boulevard, a main road in town.