December 2, 2025 (Jacksonville, Fla.) – At 104, U.S. Coast Guard veteran Anita, now receiving care with Community Hospice & Palliative Care, sits a little taller when fellow veterans visit and honor her with a pinning. During a recent ceremony, she smiled in disbelief, not expecting such a beautiful surprise.
Anita Morris is a Jacksonville resident and daughter of Italian immigrants, she enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1942 during World War II, serving on the home front by guarding ports and broadcasting public updates on the radio from Jacksonville. She met her husband while in uniform, married in 1945, later worked with the USO, and raised two children; after the loss of her husband and son a year apart, her daughter, Melody, became her caregiver.
“Now they’re holding me up as an example, I’m so grateful,” said Anita. Soft-spoken yet steady, she takes deep pride in her service and cherishes simple moments of connection, from hearing “thank you for your service” to reading Mail Call letters, which her daughter, Melody, describes as an incomparable joy for their family.
For retired Coast Guard leader and Community Hospice volunteer Donna Cottrell, visiting fellow veterans is about dignity and shared understanding. “You walk in with something in common,” said Donna, who served 37 years before retiring in 2021. “We don’t want anyone to feel forgotten, but especially veterans.”
On Anita’s care team, registered nurse case manager Anne Marie Jordan sees how these touches make a difference. She points to two hallmark experiences for veteran patients: veteran pinning ceremonies conducted by fellow service members and “Mail Call,” when community members and local classrooms write letters to patients who have served.
“To see their faces light up when they read those letters or receive a pin and flag is truly amazing,” Anne Marie said. “They feel honored and appreciated.”
Community Hospice & Palliative Care is a Level Four partner in the national We Honor Veterans initiative, reflecting a sustained commitment to veteran-centered care. Services include a clinically trained team attuned to veterans’ end-of-life needs, veteran-to-veteran pinning ceremonies, service branch flags displayed at inpatient centers, the Community Hospice Veterans Partnership that engages veteran leaders as regional ambassadors, and “Mail Call,” which delivers heartfelt letters from students and community members to veterans in our care.
To learn more about Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s veteran services or to volunteer, visit CommunityHospice.com or call 904.268.5200.
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About Community Hospice & Palliative Care
Established in 1979, Community Hospice & Palliative Care is an innovative national leader in palliative and hospice care, as well as providing programs and services to meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. During its 46-year history, through the support of more than 1,000 employees and 1,000 volunteers, the organization helps approximately 1,500 patients per day to live better with advanced illness – at home, in long-term care and assisted living facilities, in hospitals and at its 10 inpatient care centers. No one is ever denied care due to an inability to pay. To learn more about the support and services of Community Hospice & Palliative Care, visit CommunityHospice.com.