By Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune
As Memorial Day draws near, the town of Haughton, small in size but vast in pride, has found powerful and deeply personal ways to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to the United States. Nowhere is this more visible—or more moving—than at the Haughton Library, where a community-led tribute has transformed the space into a sanctuary of remembrance.
Inside the library, just steps from Town Hall, a solemn White Table stands in quiet dignity. It’s more than a display—it’s a symbol. With its single red rose, lemon slice, and inverted glass, the table speaks of absence, sacrifice, and the haunting reality of those who never came home. Known traditionally in military circles as the Missing Man Table, it now brings its message of loss and honor into civilian view, offering a space for silent reflection.
Outside the library doors, a vibrant and touching scene greets visitors. Red poppies—each one handmade from recycled plastic bottles—dot the flowerbeds among dozens of small American flags. Created by library patrons young and old, the handcrafted poppies are more than decoration. They’re tokens of care, gratitude, and unity.
For longtime Haughton resident Paula Roper, the tribute strikes a deeply personal chord. Her father is a veteran. Her husband served with distinction. And while she walks the path of daily life, the legacy of military sacrifice is never far from her thoughts.
“They go above and beyond,” Roper said. “They have my heart.”
The display coincides with National Poppy Day, recognized on the Friday before Memorial Day. The red poppy, first immortalized in the World War I poem In Flanders Fields, has become a symbol of lives lost and the price of freedom. Americans wear the flower to honor the fallen and to remember those who carry invisible wounds long after the wars have ended.
In Haughton, those poppies now serve another purpose: uniting a community in shared remembrance. Each bloom reflects the hands that made it—children learning the meaning of sacrifice, parents explaining why we remember, veterans quietly watching as their stories are told in red and white.
Haughton Mayor Hunter Timms, a veteran himself, says this kind of remembrance is what defines his town.
“One of my favorite traits about Haughton is that it has a community spirit like no other, regardless of the occasion. Memorial Day is no exception,” Timms said. “As a veteran, I take an exceptional interest in honoring those who have fallen. While visiting the Haughton Library’s memorial display earlier this week, I couldn’t help but think of what LTG Hal Moore once said: ‘There is no glory in war—only good men dying terrible deaths.’ That truth has stayed with me. War is not about heroics or headlines. It’s about the people who serve beside you—their courage, their pain, and their ultimate cost.”
As Memorial Day approaches, residents of Bossier Parish are encouraged to visit the display, wear a red poppy, and share the stories behind the symbols with the next generation.
In Haughton, remembrance isn’t just a once-a-year event—it’s a promise. A promise that those who served and those who died will never be forgotten.