Marie Gilmore and her husband Bob moved to Ocean Pines from New York back in the 90s. When the first discussions began about designing and building a Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines, not long after the terrific Ocean Pines Association 35th Anniversary Celebration in the Spring of 2003, she was among the first to volunteer. Bob is a Marine and both he and Marie are active in the American Legion. When it comes to helping veterans, they are a hardworking, efficient, perpetual motion machine.

Marie moved into their new Ocean Pines home in 1995, living here with her daughter for a year and a half until Bob could join them after a job concluded in Massachusetts. Her first venture in community involvement was joining the Women's Club of Ocean Pines, where she eventually served as President. That is where she met two other Ocean Pines Treasures - Roseanne Bridgman and Sharon O'Hare and worked with them on the Ocean Pines 35th Anniversary Celebration.

In the aftermath of the 35th, the seed of an idea for a Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines took root. Bridgman and O'Hare were determined to make it happen. A committee was formed, and Marie was quickly involved. That was back around 2004. What is now the Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines was dedicated on Memorial Day, May30, 2005, thanks to the efforts of that Committee, the OPA Board of Directors, and the generous support of many fine people in Ocean Pines. It was a true community effort.

The Ocean Pines Area Chamber of Commerce named Marie the 2007 Citizen of the Year. Later, in 2021 Marie was recipient of the OPA Sam Wilkinson Volunteer of the Year Award.

Marie became a member of the Memorial Foundation Board of Directors and has served as the President of the Foundation for 10 years or more. Her dedication to the position is incredible. Under her leadership the Memorial, located at what is now Veterans Memorial Park on the shore of the pond adjacent to the south entrance to Ocean Pines, has added a walking trail around the peninsula behind the Memorial with stations along the way depicting the wars where Americans fought and died. There is the Missing Man Chair; a section of the Wall That Heals, donated to the Memorial by the Wall That Heals Foundation traveling exhibit after the three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. was erected and displayed at the Memorial from April 22nd through 25th, 2021.

On November 11th the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation will host a traditional Veterans Day ceremony honoring all who have served in the U.S. military. The ceremony will begin promptly at 11 a.m., at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines. At that time a new gazebo adjacent to the Memorial will be dedicated. It will serve as an outdoors classroom for 5th grad students from schools around Worcester County who come to learn about the history of conflicts and the men and women who fought and died to protect our freedoms and way of life.

Marie will be the first to say that the success of the Memorial is due to many other volunteers. The limelight is not her cup of tea. Over the last 20 years many have volunteered their time and money to make the Ocean Pines Memorial an inspiring place to visit. Former OPA President Bill Rakow must be mentioned. Rakow directed the construction of the Memorial and is still volunteering today in managing the veteran dedication brick program.

Roseanne Bridgman and Sharon O'Hare were the driving force in creating the Memorial. Too many others to mention were there to support them and the project. The current board members of the Foundation are Marie Gilmore, President; Susan Pantone, Vice President; Mary Adair, Treasurer; Patty Curtin, Secretary; Don McMullen; Jennifer Cropper-Rines; Todd Dundore; Vin Morris; Rick Farr; Tom Ottenwaelder; John Latham; Michelle Winemiller; and Sharyn O’Hare, Board Member Emeritus.

As then OPA President Dan Stachurski said during the Memorial Day Dedication Ceremony back in 2005, "This is a very special place. Take from it what you need, leave in it what you must, and remember whenever you glance this way that this hallowed ground represents the best each of us carries within ourselves."

If our Ocean Pines Treasure Marie Gilmore has anything to do with it, the Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines will remain a "very special place."

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Image below: Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines Foundation president Marie Gilmore and Worcester County Commissioners President Chip Bertino pose for a portrait just before the beginning of the Memorial Day Ceremony 2023.

Image below: Gilmore was recipient of the OPA 2021 Sam Wilkinson Volunteer of the Year Award.

Image below: The Ocean Pines Area Chamber of Commerce named Marie as 2007 Citizen of the Year.