MISSOULA — The annual Veterans Day event outside the Missoula County Courthouse held a special meaning to organizers on Tuesday.

The ceremony in front of the Doughboy statue at the Missoula County Courthouse was unlike any that has come before it as event organizers honored one of their fallen friends who helped organize the event for years, John Angwin.

“It is so important to honor John Angwin because he was so much a part of the American Legion post 27 that was responsible for this statue, and he was the one who organized this service,” United Veterans council member Susan Reneau said.

Friends of Angwin were in attendance to show their respects, including retired Army Sergeant Jim Hanson who laid a memorial wreath in Angwin’s honor.

“John was a good friend of mine even though we were different units in American Legion it was a recall honor to give and honor John. We just had his funeral yesterday,” Hanson said.

Kalispell Veterans Day

Veterans Day was marked by a ceremony on Nov. 11, 2020 in Kalispell’s Depot Park.

Sean Wells/MTN News

Kalispell Veterans Day

Veterans Day was marked by a ceremony on Nov. 11, 2020 in Kalispell’s Depot Park.

Sean Wells/MTN News

Kalispell Veterans Day

Veterans Day was marked by a ceremony on Nov. 11, 2020 in Kalispell’s Depot Park.

Sean Wells/MTN News

Kalispell Veterans Day

Veterans Day was marked by a ceremony on Nov. 11, 2020 in Kalispell’s Depot Park.

Sean Wells/MTN News

Kalispell Veterans Day

Veterans Day was marked by a ceremony on Nov. 11, 2020 in Kalispell’s Depot Park.

Sean Wells/MTN News

Kalispell Veterans Day

Veterans Day was marked by a ceremony on Nov. 11, 2020 in Kalispell’s Depot Park.

Sean Wells/MTN News

Missoula Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on Nov. 11, 2020.

Connor McCauley/MTN News

Missoula Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on Nov. 11, 2020.

Connor McCauley/MTN News

Missoula Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on Nov. 11, 2020.

Connor McCauley/MTN News

Missoula Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on Nov. 11, 2020.

Connor McCauley/MTN News

Missoula Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on Nov. 11, 2020.

Connor McCauley/MTN News

Missoula Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on Nov. 11, 2020.

Connor McCauley/MTN News

Corvallis Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in Corvallis on Nov. 11, 2020.

Russ Thomas/MTN News

Corvallis Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in Corvallis on Nov. 11, 2020.

Russ Thomas/MTN News

Corvallis Veterans Day

Veterans Day being marked in Corvallis on Nov. 11, 2020.

Russ Thomas/MTN News

Tuesday honored Angwin — and all veterans who served, something that future members of the Armed Forces say is important.

“Civil Air Patrol has four core values one of the most important ones is respect and showing respect for these veterans by being here really emphasis that,” said the patrol’s Mason Dodge.

Reneau said that while it was difficult to put the event together, it was important to her to keep the event going. It’s something she said Angwin would have loved and appreciated.

Reneau told MTN News that Angwin was the commander of American Legion Post 27 which put together the Doughboy statue back in 1927.