When employee JoAnna Robinson learned that the Riverview Cemetery in Green River, Wyoming, was running out of space for the remains of military veterans, she wanted to help.

Robinson’s father is buried there and she wanted to make sure other families could also find a resting place for their loved ones.

Robinson helped secure a $30,000 grant from Williams for the Pilot Butte Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 2321 to install a columbarium in the cemetery to hold the cremains of service members. The aboveground structure can house the remains of dozens of veterans, and niches have space to accommodate spouses.

“My Dad was a Vietnam Veteran and he passed away from Agent Orange disease in 1998,” she said. “He is buried in the military section there, which is a very peaceful place. I am so grateful that Williams was able to help other families in this way.

“This project is so special to me, knowing that the men and women who fight for our freedom will have a place if they choose, when they pass,” said Robinson, whose husband and son also are veterans.

Tom Niemiec is a member of the VFW post and said the city of Green River donated a portion of the cemetery to the organization in the 1930s. But after nearly a century, it was starting to fill up.

Smaller communities statistically have a higher population of veterans, he said, and it’s only right that they can remain in those communities, even after death.

With help from Williams and other community donors, columbariums now are an option for hundreds of families. “It’s bringing them a lot of peace, and knowing that spouses can be there too,” he said.