Dozens gathered Monday to honor a Pennsylvania man who touched the lives of soldiers during World War II.<\/p>\n
A ceremony at the gravesite of John Janney from Newtown, Bucks County, paid tribute to a beloved pen pal.<\/p>\n
“He was a pen pal, a voice from home, distributor of news and information,” Matt Arlen of Ned’s Cigar Store said.<\/p>\n
Seventy-seven years since his death, Janney’s legacy lives on for his service to men and women in uniform. He lived in a shed behind Newtown Presbyterian Church, where he wrote hundreds of letters to Newtown residents serving during World War II.<\/p>\n
“A heart placed in an envelope, sealed with care, out in a world so big. Words flew like birds from a kitchen window to bring them back to their small town,” Morgan Marshall, a Council Rock North High School student, said.<\/p>\n
Marshall shared the poem she wrote about Marshall.<\/p>\n
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero shared more on Janney’s outreach.<\/p>\n
“What Mr. Janney did for those soldiers and those service people was truly incredible,” Santarsiero said, “and it is appropriate that we’re here today to acknowledge it.”<\/p>\n
Family members of soldiers who corresponded with Janney shared reflections on his impact.<\/p>\n
“That’s what Newtown was all about,” Newtown resident Wayne Lambert said. “Newtown was a very small community. Everybody seemed to know everybody. John Janney was one that kept it going for these fellas that were overseas serving our country.”<\/p>\n
Arlen helped organize the event and reads Janney’s letters on his daily Facebook Live. He believes Janney acted on faith.<\/p>\n
“Because he was so involved with the church, I’m sure that he felt that it was his calling,” Arlen said, “and we all have a calling. It’s just a matter of whether we answer it or not.”<\/p>\n
Organizers hope the ceremony serves as a tribute to both Janney and the countless unsung homefront heroes whose quiet acts of compassion sustained soldiers throughout the war.<\/p>\n
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