SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) – A Shreveport woman is spreading the Christmas spirit to fallen military men and women and their families by decorating their graves.

Anna Cole has been a Shreveport resident most of her life and spent many of those years visiting fallen soldiers and veterans at Centuries Memorial Park and Funeral Home with her mother.

“My mother did a lot of things like this. I got it from her,” said Cole.

After her mother and father, a Master Sergeant and Navy Veteran, were both buried side by side at Centuries cemetery, Cole began making frequent visits to make sure their graves stayed in good condition.

Now, she takes care of eight full rows of veterans and plans to do more.

“During the summertime, I come about every other day,” said Cole. “I’ve got two sprinkler systems and grass growing, they’ve sodded some but I keep it alive. I plan to get some more grass in here for all of the veterans.”

Now in her 70’s, Cole makes special arrangements around Christmas time, especially honoring the ones who no longer have family members to visit.

Cole had a special plaque made to place in the veteran section of the park.

“Some of these graves are very old. So I said I wanted to start honoring not just my parents, but all veterans,” said Cole.

Cole says she has already picked out her own plot next to her parents, but until then, she’ll continue to spend her time honoring as many veterans as she can and make each headstone complete with an American Flag.

“Never throw a flag away and never leave one on the ground. If I see one blow over I’ll pick it up even if I was it was during a Hurricane.”