By Eric Cravey, Times West Virginian
GRAFTON — To Nancy Goodpasture, of Fairmont, her mother Ginny Goodpasture was like many moms who cared for her children.
“I mean to me, she was just the lady who gave me grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup,” Nancy Goodpasture said.
However, for a brief moment on Monday, Elizabeth Virginia “Ginny” Goddard Goodpasture, was among a list of 26 U.S. military veterans whose lives were celebrated as part of the 2025 West Virginia National Cemeteries Project that just finished its fourth year. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and managed by the West Virginia Humanities Council, the program is carried out each year with help from students at Grafton High, University High in Morgantown and graduate history student researchers at West Virginia University.
“This work matters. Remembering history matters, documenting history matters, knowing how we got here matters,” Eric Waggoner, executive director of the W.Va. Humanities Council, told the approximately 65 guests Monday. “That work is essential and important, and you guys are the ones who have done it once again this year.”
Students conduct rigorous research on each veteran they are assigned and are then tasked with writing a biography of each veteran.
