Memorial Day ceremonies will happen around the county Monday.
Residents may honor the dead by lowering the U.S. flag at their home to half-staff, first thing in the morning. At 12 p.m., participants are asked to raise the flag to full staff.
There are a variety of options for residents wishing to participate in more formal observances.
Marysville services will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a service on the Main Street Bridge to honor those lost at sea. Pastor Dan Steepe, preaching minister at Marysville New Beginnings Church, will serve as Chaplain. CPO (Ret.) James ‘Jim’ Palmer, a U.S. Navy Seabees veteran, will present the wreath. The Navy Hymn will be played and members of the public are invited to “pay your respects and add your voices.” Organizers do ask that participants not bring pets to the ceremony.
Also at 8:15, the city’s Memorial Day parade will begin forming at the intersection of E. Fifth and Plum streets. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at the intersection and use Fifth Street to get to Oakdale Cemetery. In case of inclement weather, the route will be shortened and go to the Veterans’ Auditorium, 233 W. Sixth St., for the ceremony.
Organizations desiring to join the parade may contact VFW Post 3320, sponsors of the parade.
Flags will be given to the children ahead of the Parade. Individuals are encouraged to participate.
“We ask all to stand proudly and place their right hand over their heart to show proper respect when the American flag passes, and to please encourage your children to do so,” Bo Johnstone, chairman of the Marysville Memorial Day Committee, wrote.
Councilman Nevin Taylor reminded participants and residents that no candy should be thrown during the parade.
“It is to honor and show respect to the fallen soldiers,” Taylor said.
Because the parade is meant to be “a solemn occasion” organizers are asking that in addition to not throwing candy, the parade should not include clowns, handouts, pets, political announcements or advertisements.
The Marysville Middle School Band will give a pre-ceremony concert at Oakdale Cemetery, beginning at 9 a.m. The Marysville High School Band will provide music in the parade and at Oakdale.
The parade is scheduled to arrive at Oakdale Cemetery about 9:30 a.m. A special ceremony will be held at that time. Lawn-chairs are appropriate for additional seating.
Special honorees at the program will include prisoners of war, missing in action, military families, Gold Star Mothers. The ceremony will also mark the centennial of the end of World War I.
Pastor Dan Steepe is the chaplain for this year’s program. Steepe is founding pastor of New Beginnings Church, and has been serving as lead pastor for 21 years, with a total of 30 in the ministry. He served in the U.S. Army National Guard, and three of his four brothers and sisters also served, with two in the U.S. Marine Corps, and one in the U.S. Army. Pastor Steepe and his wife Shannon live in Marysville.
The Memorial Day Committee will have local high school students participating in the ceremonies:
Sarah LaPointe will present General Logan’s Orders. Sarah is the daughter of Phillip and Amy LaPointe. She will be a senior at Fairbanks High School in the fall, she is an honor student and actively involved in the National Honor Society, serving as president. Sarah is also a member of the FHS Mock Trial team and a varsity cheerleader. She volunteers at Memorial Hospital. She hopes to attend the University of Dayton after graduation and study pre-dentistry. Her goal is to become a dentist and to continue to volunteer in her community.
Katie Kreuger will present President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Katie is the daughter of Justin and Ann-Morgan Krueger of Marysville. She attends Marysville High School, where she is entering her junior year. She runs cross country and track and is a member of the Marysville Swingers Unlimited. In addition to juggling dance, volunteering at her youth group, and hanging out with her four younger siblings, Katie enjoys reading, writing, and eating food. She is a past recipient of the Archie Griffin Award, Mightiest Monarch, Le Herron Leadership Award, and the VFW Voice of Democracy local winner (and fourth place at the district level).
Katie Brown will be the guest speaker. Brown is the lead faculty for history at Urbana University where she has been teaching since 2018. Brown specializes in 20th century British history. She earned her undergraduate and master degrees in history from Ohio University in 2007 and 2011, respectively. She is finishing up her doctoral degree in modern European history from the University of Akron with a tentative graduation date of December 2019. She is a member of the Society of Military History and the Second World War Research Group, North America.
Six wreaths will be presented at Oakdale Cemetery to honor the organizations comprising the Memorial Day Committee, a wreath in remembrance of all prisoners of war and missing in action, and there will be 11 wreaths posted to honor the veterans of the major U.S. conflicts, and one wreath for all those who have served in America’s military forces throughout the years. The VFW sponsored honor guard will provide military honors.
Nacrina Alvarez Blanco will sing at the closing of the ceremony at Oakdale Cemetery. Blanco is well known for playing in places such as the Pentagon, the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel, and opening for recording artists such as Diana Ross.
Following the ceremony at Oakdale, there will be a short service at Amrine Cemetery conducted by American Legion Post 79, and at the Catholic Cemetery conducted by VFW Post 3320. There will also be a ceremony at VFW Post 3320 following the cemetery observances.
Marysville Memorial Day Ceremonies are sponsored by the Memorial Day Committee with representatives of American Legion Post 79, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3320, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 55, American Veterans Post 28, Blue Star Mothers Chapter 22, Hannah Emerson Dustin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the American Legion Post 79 and VFW Post Ladies Auxiliaries.
A program will be held at 9 a.m. at York Cemetery with Pastor Joe Rhea of the Richwood First United Methodist church as guest speaker. A military rifle detail will provide a gun salute and TAPS will be played.
The Richwood parade will take place at 10 a.m. All veterans are encouraged to walk the short parade route. If walking is not possible, an open-air vehicle will be provided for any veteran who prefers to ride. Scout troops, patriotic decorated vehicles and businesses are invited to join in the parade; however, throwing candy is not permitted. Anyone wishing to participate in the parade is asked to meet at the Village Administration building, 153 N. Franklin Street by 9:45 a.m. to line up. Pre-registration is not required.
Following the parade, veterans will hold services at the Claibourne Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. The keynote speaker is Tammy Borders, a North Union Elementary counselor who plans and leads the Veteran’s Day service at school. Boy Scout Troop 440, Cub Scout Troop 109 and Girl Scout Troop 4834 will raise and lower the flag to half-staff, and the North Union Marching Band will perform patriotic music. The Richwood Police will also stand with the veterans to pay tribute to the fallen. A military rifle detail will provide a gun salute and TAPS will be played.
A service will also be held at 11:30 a.m. in Price Cemetery on Price-Mather Road. Pastor Tim Peria of the Union Baptist Church will speak and the North Union band will perform. A military rifle detail will provide a gun salute and TAPS will be played.
If the parade route is shortened due to weather, the service will be held at Veterans’ Auditorium. Please contact Gail DeGood-Guy at 740-943-3604 for any questions.
Other Union County Memorial Day activities Monday, May 27, are planned as follows:
-A memorial Day ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at Price Cemetery in Essex.
– A Plain City parade is planned at at 9 a.m.
-Jerome Township’s parade begins at 9:30 a.m.
-The Unionville Center parade begins at 9 a.m.