07/09/2026
Like many people who center their lives on serving others, Spokaneās Wes Anderson isnāt comfortable with praise for his decades of work on behalf of veterans. But when Longhorn Barbecue saw that Wes wanted the simplest of things, we knew we could make a difference for him.
"I wasn't expecting this," said Wes. "I was just going to order something simple for dinner."
Instead, we treated Wes to a Longhorn Barbecue dinner delivery complete with ribs, beans, potato salad, and cornbread muffins. Taking care of him seemed a fitting turnabout for a man who needs his community now more than ever.
āI was in Vietnam from November of 1966 to June of 1968,ā Wes remarked. āI was a hospital corpsman with the 1st Battalion 9th Marines.ā
When Wes Anderson returned from serving in Vietnam, he had to fight through a crowd of protestors to make his flight home. That memory fueled decades of service to make sure veterans know they are not alone. He joined VFW Post 51 and served as a chaplain.
But his service didnāt end there. He founded the "Valentines for Veterans" drive, supplied Northeast Youth Center kids with hundreds of flags and coins to place on veteransā graves, and tirelessly advocated for veterans as they navigated post-service problems.
Regretfully, Wes brought something else home from Vietnam ā prostate cancer courtesy of Agent Orange contamination during the war.
āI have helped so many veterans fight these issues to make sure they get their benefits,ā Wes said. āI always thought, āKnock on wood. Looks like I'm gonna skip this.ā And then all of a sudden, it just jumped up and smacked me upside the head.ā
Doctors diagnosed Wesā cancer last year. It is advanced.
Wes, no matter what lies ahead, Longhorn Barbecue thanks you for building a strong community for veterans and all who were touched by your servant's heart. We are honored to know you.
