Virginia Gardens honors Gold Star Mother on her 94th birthday
Virginia Gardens honored longtime resident Georgie Carter Krell on her 94th birthday with a proclamation recognizing her decades of work on behalf of veterans and Gold Star families.
A Gold Star family is the immediate family of a U.S. service member who died while serving in the military, typically in war or from hostile action.
Her son, Pfc. Bruce Wayne Carter, 19, was killed in Vietnam in August of 1969, when he threw himself on a grenade to save fellow Marines — an act for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
In his memory, Krell secured the naming of Miami’s Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center, helped create Marine Corps League Detachment 052, and saw his name given to local Young Marines programs and a Virginia Gardens street.
Mayor Spencer Deno IV, on behalf of the Village Council, proclaimed Aug. 25, 2025, “Georgie Carter Krell Day,” citing her service as the only two-time president of American Gold Star Mothers and more than 25,000 volunteer hours.
The village marked Krell’s 94th birthday with a proclamation and the unveiling of her portrait at the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center, joined by friends including former District 12 County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz and current District 6 County Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis, whose district includes Virginia Gardens.
“Her lifelong dedication to veterans and their families, and the sacrifice of her son, remind us of the values of duty, honor and love of country,” Orbis said.
After a 50-year push fueled by Krell’s dogged persistence, Carter — first laid to rest at Vista Memorial Gardens in Miami Lakes on Aug. 25, 1969 — was reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery in 2020 with help from longtime family friend U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart.
“It’s my privilege to honor Georgie Carter Krell, whose courage and lifelong service have turned sacrifice into legacy,” Deno said. “She is our neighbor, our friend and our inspiration.”
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM.