Gold Star Remembrance Special Meals

Recipe: Chocolate Sheet Cake
Honoring: SSG Patrick Dolphin (October 7, 1982 - July 31, 2011)
Recipe submitted by Jean Uffalussy, Mother

“When we asked him what cake he wanted for his high school graduation, he said, ‘Your chocolate sheet cake!’ He loved this cake almost as much as he loved being a Marine.” − Jean Uffalussy

Born in Richmond, VA, a native of Moscow, PA, and a 2000 graduate of North Pocono High School, Staff Sergeant Patrick Dolphin enlisted in the Marine Corps in June of 2000.  He began his career as a Basic Reconnaissance Marine, assigned to both 3rd and 1st Recon Battalions, and later became a section head of the newly formed MARSOC Recruiting and Screening West Branch.  In January 2009 he was assigned as an element leader for Team 2, Golf Company, 2nd MSOB, Camp Lejeune, NC.  SSgt. Dolphin deployed numerous times in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

To read more about Patrick and for his Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Crispy Coconut Chicken Dippers
Honoring: PO3 William James Keys (April 22, 1988 - April 16, 2011)
Recipe submitted by Lisa Keys, Mother

“Celebrating life, love and the healing power of food, I created the blog Goodgriefcook.com to honor my son. This recipe was among his favorites and won a national recipe contest. Will continues to inspire me and is forever in my heart.” – Lisa Keys

William "Will" James Keys, 22, was a US Navy Corpsman with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Division out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He had returned home from Afghanistan in October 2010.

Will was born April 22, 1988 in Waterbury, Connecticut, the son of William Jeffrey and Lisa (Matino) Keys and loved his home in Middlebury. He was educated in Region 15 schools through eighth grade and graduated from The Taft School in 2006, where he was captain of the boys' varsity lacrosse team.

To read more about William and for his Crispy Coconut Chicken Dippers recipe, check it out here!

“He was quite the eater!” – Lois Drury

Lieutenant Junior Grade Patrick Drury, USN, was killed in a traffic collision on 16 June 2013 in York, AL. He was nearing completion of flight training in the T-45 while assigned to VT-9 in Meridian, MS.

Patrick was raised in Alexandria, VA, attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and Bishop Ireton High School, where he played football and was the class salutatorian. After one year at Virginia Tech, he entered the Naval Academy with the Class of 2011. He was a member of 25th Company.

Patrick was a voracious reader with broad interests. He viewed life as a team sport, not an individual competition. His formula for success was: be prepared, view every job as fun, and treat everyone as an important member of the team. 

Source: https://patrickdrury.wixsite.com/memorial/obituary

To read more about Patrick and for his Chicken recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Rudy’s Jamaican Rice & Peas
Honoring: AN Rudolph O. Ross (November 30, 1978 – December 15, 2006)

Recipe submitted by Rossonya Ross, daughter

“Before my dad, Rudolph, joined the Navy, he helped manage a Caribbean restaurant, which is where my mom and dad met. This is my dad’s rice and peas recipe. My mom learned it from him and has made it for years, though with her own twist depending on what she has on hand. She doesn’t typically measure, so this is our best guess, and you may want to make some modifications. You can double the recipe or add more red beans or seasonings to your liking!”– Rossonya Ross

Rudolph Orlando Ross was born on November 30, 1978, in Kingston, Jamaica. He joined the Navy in 2005 and became an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Aircraft Handler) with the USS Nassau (LHA-4) out of Norfolk, VA.

Ross had a rare gift for balancing humor with deep reflection, always bringing laughter to any room while maintaining a quiet, thoughtful demeanor. He loved to dance—always moving to the rhythm of life, his joy contagious. Whether in a serious moment or just having fun, he could always find a way to lighten the mood with his wit and infectious smile.

To read more about Rudolph and for his Rudy's Jamaican Rice and Peas recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Boston Fudge Cake
Honoring: LCDR Charles Walker (July 7, 1986 – July 31, 2019)

Recipe submitted by Katie Polak (spouse) and Debra Huey-Walker (mother)

“This was actually my birthday cake favorite, but one year on my birthday, we were visiting Charles in his new house in another state, and I wouldn’t get my cake. To my surprise, he baked this for me − his first time baking a cake. It was perfect and the best one I ever had. Charles also loved desserts with peanut butter and chocolate flavors together!” – Debra Huey-Walker, USN (ret)

Lieutenant Commander Walker was born in Santa Clara, California but grew up in Fairfax, VA. He graduated from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, receiving a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering. He was a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles and Boston Red Sox fan, loved throwing a baseball, and was the child of two Navy veterans. He was the perfect partner and husband. Aside from growing an epic mustache he was a badass fighter pilot. His call sign: “JTACz.”

Following his college graduation, LCDR Walker was commissioned as an Ensign through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps in December 2008. In January 2009, he reported to Pensacola, Florida for Aviation Preflight Training and was designated a Naval Aviator in May 2011.

To read more about Charles and for his Boston Fudge Cake recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Lasagna
Honoring Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nicholas Forrest  (July 16, 1989 – January 13, 2012)

Recipe submitted by Stephen and Laura Forrest, Parents

CTI3 Nicholas Gregory Forrest was born on July 16, 1989 in St. Mary's, GA. He graduated from Olympic High School in Bremerton in 2007, and attended the University of Washington prior to joining the Navy in 2008. He studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, and became a Russian Linguist. He served as a Russian Linguist for the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland at the time of his passing.

To read more about Nicholas and for his Lasagna recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Buckeyes
Honoring: Chief Petty Officer Stephen "Tyler" Murphy (February 4, 1982 - July 6, 2022)

“I used to make these the day before Tyler would come home. After he arrived home, the first thing he would do is go to the fridge for his buckeyes. By then I would have them bagged into one or two gallon bags so when it was time for him to leave, he would grab his candy and go back to Virginia Beach.” – Eileen Murphy, Mother

Stephen "Tyler" Murphy was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. Tyler was a 2000 graduate of Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada. He enlisted in the Navy in March 2004 and attended Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes in Illinois.

Upon completion of "A" School, Tyler reported to Basic Crewman Selection (BCS) in Coronado, CA. He graduated with class 51 and received orders to Special Boat Team Twenty (SBT 20), where he served from September 2005 through January 2010. At SBT 20, Tyler took the duties of Chief Engineer, Detachment Navigator, Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) Communications Representative, and Human Performance Functional Training Instructor. He developed a strong reputation and was promoted from Special Warfare Boat Operator First Class over the course of two deployments with SBT 20.

In 2010, Tyler left active duty to pursue a degree at The Ohio State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Security and Intelligence with a focus on nuclear weapons and Arabic in 2012

To read more about Tyler and for his Buckeyes recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Shrimp and Corn Chowder
Honoring: SFC Jonathan Kilian Dozier (September 30, 1977 – January 9, 2008)

Recipe submitted by Amy Dozier, Wife

As a youth, Jon was a kind and loving brother and son. He had a tender heart and an adventurous (and maybe sometimes rebellious) spirit. Like many kids, Jon liked to play soldier in the woods behind his home. As he grew older, he was always surrounded by friends, usually at the water; he loved to swim and surf. Many weekends were spent with family on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Because of his love of playing soldier as a kid, Jon decided that he wanted to become a real one when he grew up.  He selected the Infantry and wanted to be the very best. At age 20, he graduated as Soldier of the Cycle from his Training Company at the Infantry Training Brigade, Fort Benning Georgia. Later, he graduated from Jump School, became Sniper Certified, and completed Phase I of Special Forces Qualification Course. 

To read more about Jon and for his Shrimp and Corn Chowder recipe, check it out here!

 

Recipe: Gooey Butter Cookies
Honoring: Petty Officer 1^st Class Kevin Flynt (June 12, 1986 – March 12, 2022)

Recipe submitted by Jeannette Tesar, Kevin’s mother

Kevin did not grow up in any one specific town, although he was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He was part of a Navy family that moved around a lot from Texas to the east coast to the west coast and back, and finally returned to Texas where he graduated High School in Kingsville, Texas in 2004. He then joined the United States Navy in October 2005. He served aboard the USS Kauffman (FFG-59) for several years after he completed recruit training and 16-weeks of training to become a Gas Turbine Systems Technician Electrical (GSE). 

To read more about Kevin and for his Gooey Butter Cookie recipe, check it out here!