Maricopa’s new Veterans Memorial has been a long time coming. Today, it was unveiled to an audience of veterans, families and friends. 

“This is a sacred place,” said Mayor Nancy Smith, standing at a podium in front of the granite memorial wall. “It’s a constant reminder of the cost of freedom and the importance of peace.” 

Near the granite wall at the corner of M.L.K. Jr. Boulevard and Greythorn Drive, near Copper Sky, are a bronze Battle Cross monument, benches and flagpoles bearing service banners. Engraved bricks honoring veterans will be set over time as each one is sold. 

Today, the parking lot was abuzz with activities, booths, food trucks and a car show, which featured everything from hot rods to Cybertrucks. Mayor Smith was joined by Vice Mayor Henry Wade and city councilmembers AnnaMarie Knorr, Bob Marsh, Amber Liermann and Eric Goettl.  

Maricopa veterans Terry Oldfield, Mike Delaney their late friend, Jim Bussey, had come up with the idea for a veterans memorial. Bussey passed away in 2022 but Oldfield and Delaney wanted to carry out the project for him. 

Bussey’s image sat next to the podium as his niece, Vesta Pena, was gifted a folded Arizona state flag that had flown on the state capitol.  

It meant a lot to her family, she said, as they lost her uncle’s flag in a house fire after he passed: “The building burned down, and his flag burned with it.” 

Veterans, family members and friends left toy soldiers on the memorial as a nod to Bussey’s service. 

“We did this as his memorial for the service when he passed away,” Pena said. “They wanted to do to again here on a big scale.” 

“If by being here and remembering the sacrifices we’re able to leave here and do our part to improve the world around us, this sacred place has met its purpose,” Smith said, “and I believe Jim Bussey would agree with that.”