CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A Cascade Township park has been renamed after a local veteran.
Museum Gardens Park is now Virgil Nishimura Westdale Memorial Park, named after 104-year-old Virgil Westdale, a World War II veteran who passed away in February.
We’re told the park shares a space with the Cascade Historical Museum.
“We owe Mr. Westdale – and all of our veterans – so much and are honored to rename this park in recognition of him and all those who have served for our freedom,” says Grace Lesperance, Cascade Township supervisor. “We hope park visitors will pause to remember Mr. Westdale and our other veterans as they walk this space and take in the beautiful scenery.”
The township says Westdale received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011, as did the other members of his combat team.
After the war, Westdale obtained two degrees from West Michigan University and was later hired as a chemical engineer for Burroughs Corp. before retiring as AM International’s principal scientist, according to Cascade Township. We’re told he spent part of his retirement working for the TSA at Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Westdale published an autobiography titled Blue Skies and Thunder in 2009.
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