Photo provided The late Jeremy McQueary is shown with his niece Olivia McQueary.
A little over 20 years ago, a young man named Jeremy McQueary graduated from Columbus East High School. According to the school’s Wall of Fame, McQueary initially planned to join the military after high school graduation, “but when September 11, 2001 happened, he decided to complete high school a semester early so he could join sooner.”
McQueary went on to serve in the Marine Corps and was killed Feb. 18, 2010, in Afghanistan, at age 27, while conducting searches for improvised explosive devices.
Now, 13 years after his death, McQueary’s niece is using her senior project as a way to honor her late uncle.
Olivia McQueary, a Columbus North student who attends most of her classes virtually, is planning a “Back to the ‘70s” dance, which will be held at American Legion Post 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 14. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the American Legion in honor of her late uncle.
“The American Legion has been kind of my entire childhood, and they’ve done a lot for my entire family,” said Olivia McQueary, who was about 5 years old when her uncle died.
The event is expected to include games, dinner and a silent auction. Admission will be free, and McQueary estimated that dinner will cost about $3 to $5. She’s still working on pricing for the auction.
When asked what inspired her to choose a’ 70s theme, she replied, “I’ve always been a very girly girl, and I love the back to the ‘70s kind of aesthetic. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was just a very bright and cheery time, and since the world has been kind of sad, I figured coming back and bringing back some of these brighter times would be a lot better.”
In discussing her inspiration for the project, McQueary said that her family has been a part of the American Legion practically her entire life, with her great-grandfather also being a veteran. The organization has given her family a lot of support, she added.
“Everybody there has just been a very big ray of sunshine,” she said.
