The Malibu community took time last Thursday, Nov. 11—Veterans Day—to honor our local veterans for their service and sacrifice for our country. The 22nd annual city celebration, however, was held virtually again this year due to the ongoing pandemic. Participants in that event tuned in on Zoom for tributes and thank yous to our servicemen and -women far and wide.
Mayor Paul Grisanti gave opening remarks to welcome and thank our service men and women. Special accolades were given to Army Commander Dan Stark for his 10 years of serving on the city’s committee.
While that ceremony was held online to ensure safety, the Optimist Club of Malibu opted for another COVID-safe option—small outdoor gatherings to honor local veterans.
The Malibu Optimist Club gathered in person for two separate ceremonies to celebrate three Malibu men, all nonagenarians and all associated with the club.
Former Webster Elementary School Principal Ron Merriman was in the army during the Korean War. His friend Jim Shirk served in the Navy during WWII. Roughly 25 Optimists brought breakfast for the honorees and attendees to the Merriman home on Point Dume, where they honored the two veterans and friends. There club members held a pinning ceremony.
“Their service to the nation is deeply appreciated,” Mona Kyle, president of the Optimist Club of Malibu, explained.
The club also presented them with certificates “to pay special tribute to them for their military service and for advancing the universal hope of freedom and liberty for all,” the president said.
Kyle presented Merriman with his pin. Honoring Shirk was Malibu Navy League President John Payne. The event kicked off with 91-year-old Merriman, a charter member of the club, leading everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. A number of Merriman’s neighbors showed up for the special occasion as well as Heidi Bernard, Pepperdine University Crest Associates executive director and friend to Malibu. Bernard brought with her letters from Pepperdine students thanking the veterans for their service.
Shirk and Merriman recounted some of their experience during wartime so long ago. Ninety-five-year-old Shirk took part in the battle of Normandy on D-Day in 1944. He received a Purple Heart for his injuries in that epic battle. Unfortunately, the medal was destroyed when the Shirks lost their home in the Woolsey Fire. However, last year, the Malibu Navy League was able to replace the medal and re-award him anew.
Merriman recounted some of his wartime efforts, too, but, by all accounts is very modest on that subject. The retired educator is the last surviving charter member of the Optimist Club of Malibu. The club’s Excellence in Education Award given yearly to teachers has been renamed the Ron Merriman Excellence in Education Award in his honor for his years of dedication as a teacher in the Malibu community.
“He’s an incredible man,” Kyle said.
The Optimists then drove to the Malibu Park home of Tom Lubisich. The 94-year-old is a veteran of WWII who served in France, Belgium and Germany in the army artillery.
According to Kyle, Lubisich was humble in his acceptance of the honor, saying, “People often refer to me as a hero. I don’t like to be referred to as a hero. I just think of myself as being patriotic.”
Kyle summed up honoring the heroes by writing: “The purpose of Veterans Day is to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. All three of the men we honored entered the military while they were still in their teens, and now, more than 70 years later, with them in their 90s, they still recognize the importance of working for the common good as demonstrated by their many years of service with the Optimists.”
Editor’s note: Captions written along with this story misstated the wars veterans Ron Merriman and Jim Shirk fought in. Merriman is a Korean War veteran; Shirk is a WWII veteran. The captions have been corrected.
