About Us

When Judie lost her son, Richard, at age 28, from an overdose, she felt commissioned to serve other veterans. Her loss created an awareness that her son's silent suffering is the story of many other veterans and their families.

Richard II, an eight-year U.S. Army veteran, had difficulty adjusting and acclimating to life back home.

His years in the service, his divorce, the death of his child, and his struggle with addiction, had taken its toll. After four months in a substance abuse rehabilitation program, he enrolled at Full Sail University. He made new friends, and seemed to progress, but a year and a half later, unexpectactly, Richard would succumb to a drug oveerdose.

The Veterans Administration estimates approximately 18 U.S. veterans take their lives each day—a statistic that has increased since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That is why the Richard E. Holmes II Memorial Foundation INC. (now the Honored Warriors Memorial Foundation INC.) was founded on Veterans Day, 11.11. 2011, four months after Holmes’ death.

We commemorate over 10 years of 'Serving those who have Served', by rolling out our re-branding initiative Veteran's Day , 11.11.2022.

We have new ideas and even a few new faces, but our mission remains the same. It is our goal to expand our vision by extending our reach so that we may continue to serve the GTR and beyond.

HWM is to connect veterans with the personal and financial resources to transition back to civilian life. The foundation is committed to addressing the mental, physical, and emotional needs of veterans with a special emphasis on mental wellness, homelessness, and readjusting to society.

Currently, there is an eight (8) to twelve (12) month delay in monetary compensation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for returning veterans. The foundation hopes to provide a safety net for these patriots during this critical transition.

To raise awareness and community support of the Holmes II Foundation ( HWM), Judie pushed to establish a Memorial Walk/Run for Veterans’ Causes held in Columbus. The proceeds benefit Veterans of Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay, and Noxubee counties.

Judie is not only committed to Veterans she is equally passionate about her community.