COLORADO SPRINGS- Since its opening in November, the Pikes Peak National Cemetery has interred more than 700 people.
The third national cemetery in the state, the cemetery will have space for more than 13,000 gravesites at the cemetery.
Monday’s ceremony brought hundreds of people to the newly created cemetery, to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and those who have served but have passed.
“My dad was proud to be a marine, he loved telling stories of being there,” Denise Cisneros said, her father, James Manzanares passed away a couple of years ago and his grave site was dedicated recently.
Being from Pueblo, Cisneros says it means a lot to her family to have his grave close to home instead of at other national cemeteries in Las Animas and Denver.
“It’s pretty special you know to have our dad pretty close, not far.” said Cisneros.
Other families had their loved ones remains moved from other cemeteries, such as Judy Ostenberg. Her husband passed away in 2013 and was buried at Fort Logan. They had his remains moved when the new cemetery opened.
Ostenberg, a Colorado Springs native, says it’s special to have her husband now closer to home.
“I know he’s not really here, but I tell him about this wonderful view that he has of Pikes Peak everyday,” said Ostenberg.
The ceremony included remarks from local elected leaders and Ret. U.S. Army Major General Steve Best.
