Events on Memorial Day honor those who died while serving in U.S. military

Cheryl Morey, South Bend Tribune
Updated ·9 min read

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, a day to honor those who died fighting in the Civil War. Ohio Rep. James A. Garfield, a former general and future U.S. president, made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery on the first Decoration Day, and 5,000 participants decorated graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.

Memorial Day became a federal holiday in 1971 and is now observed by visiting cemeteries or memorials and participating in parades and other memorial services. Here is a listing of Memorial Day events taking place throughout the area.

EVENTS/SERVICES

• Auburn — Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum has joined the Blue Star Museums program and will offer free admission to currently-serving U.S. military personnel and their families (up to five members) through Labor Day 2023. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card, DD Form 1173 ID card, DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services ID card. The museum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: adults, $12.50; children (ages 6 to 17), $7.50; 5 and younger, free.

• Beverly Shores — “Celebrating Beverly Shores Veterans” features veterans’ memorabilia and historic photographs. The exhibit can be viewed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, all times are CDT, until May 28 at The Depot Museum & Art Gallery, 525 Broadway.

• Dowagiac — At 10:30 a.m. May 29, a short ceremony to honor U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces will take place outside City Hall, 241 S. Front St. The ceremony includes a featured speaker and performances by the high school and Kalamazoo bagpipe bands. The parade then proceeds to Riverside Cemetery for veterans services.

• Dowagiac — Sister Lakes Lions Club will hold a Memorial Sunday Pancake Breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 28. All you can eat pancakes and sausage breakfast. Adults, $10; children (ages 5 to 12), $5; 4 and younger, free. The Lions Club is located at 66991 95th Ave.

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who died while serving in the U.S. Military.
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who died while serving in the U.S. Military.

• Edwardsburg — ESC Hero Run: 5K Run & 2K Fun Walk will be held May 29 at Cross Country Trail, Edwardsburg Sports Complex, 27566 US-12. Check-in begins at 7 a.m., run and walk begin at 8 a.m. Registration required at https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/Edwardsburg/ESCHeroRun at a cost of $35 for each participant by May 25.

• Elkhart — Ruthmere is offering free admission to all active-duty service men and women and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, to the museum from May 27 through Labor Day as part of the Patriotic Program Series and Blue Star Museums program. Memorial Day will be observed on May 28. Visitors will receive a free patriotic souvenir or experience a special activity. Tours on Sunday are at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from 1 to 3 p.m. Sundays. Ruthmere is located at 302 E. Beardsley Ave.

• Granger — Homes for Heroes will be honoring and remembering those who have served our country by placing flags on veterans' graves on May 26. From 11 a.m. to noon, the group will gather at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, 375 W. Cleveland Road, to place 300 flags in the veteran section of the cemetery.

• LaPorte — The LaPorte County Historical Society Museum participates in the Blue Star Museums program and is offering free admission to currently serving military personnel and their families, including the National Guard and Reserve. The museum is located at 2405 Indiana Ave. and is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CDT Tuesdays through Saturdays. Regular admission: adults, $5; seniors, $4; children (ages 17 and younger), free.

• Mishawaka — The Ryan A. Balmer American Legion Post 161 will hold Memorial Day cemetery services beginning at 8 a.m. May 29 at St. Joseph Cemetery, 357 W. Jefferson Blvd.; 8:15 a.m. at Mishawaka City Cemetery, east of the first service; 8:30 a.m. at Fairview Cemetery, 1415 N. Main St.; then finish at 8:45 a.m. on the footbridge that runs between Beutter Park and Battell Park, 301 W. Mishawaka Ave., with a water salute to lost sailors. At each service, there will be short reading, prayer, gun salute and wreath laying.

• North Liberty — Potato Creek State Park, 25601 Indiana 4, will host a Memorial Day weekend concert from 3 to 6 p.m. May 27 at the beach concession area. Kennedy’s Kitchen will perform Irish music and songs celebrating Indiana. Family friendly. The concert is free (after gate entry) and may be canceled because of inclement weather.

• Porter — The Indiana Dunes National Park visitor center will honor Memorial Day with a screening of “Vietnam Nurses” from 1 to 2 p.m. CDT May 29. The documentary chronicles the important role that military nurses played during the Vietnam War. For more information call 219-395-1882. The visitor center is located at 1215 N. Indiana 49.

• Rolling Prairie — VFW Post 9423 will hold a service at 10 a.m. CDT May 29 on the grounds of Rolling Prairie Elementary School, 605 E. Michigan St., to remember and mourn those who died while serving in the armed forces. From there, the veterans will hold a traditional Memorial Day Ceremony in Rolling Prairie Cemetery. Afterward, the public is invited to VFW Post 9423, located at 4202 N. 400 E., for free hotdogs.

Miller's Vets, a drill team comprised of homeless veterans, marches in the South Bend West Side Memorial Day Parade in 2015.
Miller's Vets, a drill team comprised of homeless veterans, marches in the South Bend West Side Memorial Day Parade in 2015.

• South Bend — The John Auten Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will present a Civil War era Memorial Day Program at 10 a.m. May 29 at Bowman Cemetery, 2400 Miami St. The Sons of Union Veterans represent lineal descendants of members of the Grand Army of the Republic, those who were Union Veterans of the war between the states. Members of the community are invited to participate.

• South Bend — The Studebaker National Museum is offering free admission to U.S. military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day as part of the Blue Star Museums program. A military ID is required. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays and is located at 201 Chapin St.

• South Bend — The History Museum is offering free admission to U.S. military personnel and their families through Labor Day as part of the Blue Star Museums program. A military ID is required. Admission includes all exhibits as well as guided tours of the Oliver Mansion. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Daily tours of the Oliver Mansion are offered. The museum is located at 808 W. Washington St.

• St. Joseph — A Memorial candlelight service will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. May 26 to remember local heroes and loved ones who died in military service to our nation. Participants are encouraged to bring a photograph or memento of the person they are honoring. There will be an opportunity to share about its significance. The service will be held at Lory’s Place, 445 Upton Drive.

Taps Across the Water at Dusk will be held on Sunday, May 28 along Wawasee, Syracuse Lake, and Papakeechie Lake.
Taps Across the Water at Dusk will be held on Sunday, May 28 along Wawasee, Syracuse Lake, and Papakeechie Lake.

• Syracuse — Chautauqua-Wawasee and Syracuse American Legion Post 223 will sponsor “Taps Across the Water” on May 28. Taps will be played at 9:09 p.m. to honor and mourn military personnel who have died in the performance of their duties while serving in the United States Armed Forces. A moment of silence will be observed by all in attendance starting at 9:08 p.m. At 9:09 p.m., taps will sound simultaneously by buglers strategically placed on Wawasee, Syracuse and Papakeechie lakes.

PARADES

• Buchanan — At 10 a.m. May 29, the Buchanan Memorial Day parade will begin downtown and travel to Oak Ridge Cemetery.

• Edwardsburg — At 11 a.m. May 29, the Edwardsburg Memorial Day parade will begin at the middle school and end at the cemetery.

• Elkhart — At 2 p.m. May 29, the Elkhart Memorial Day Parade will travel on Main Street from Harrison to Lexington Avenue. This year’s theme is “All Gave Some, Some Gave All.”

• Galien — The Galien American Legion Post 344 Memorial Day Parade steps off at 1 p.m. from the Legion and will continue to the Galien Township Cemetery.

• Middlebury — At 10 a.m. May 29, the Memorial Day parade will travel from Middlebury Elementary School, along Main Street to Memorial Park. There will be a short program in the park and then the American Legion Post 210 Honor Guard will march from the park to Grace Lawn Cemetery, where they will read the roster of veterans laid to rest at the cemetery.

Attendees wave flags during the Mishawaka Memorial Day Parade Monday, May 27, 2019, in downtown Mishawaka.
Attendees wave flags during the Mishawaka Memorial Day Parade Monday, May 27, 2019, in downtown Mishawaka.

• Mishawaka — The Mishawaka Memorial Day Parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. May 29 from Main and Third streets and continue to Battell Park, 301 W. Mishawaka Ave. This year’s theme is “Duty-Honor-Country.”

• Nappanee — At 10:30 a.m. May 29 the Memorial Day parade will begin at Nappanee Elementary School, go west on Centennial Street to Indiana 19, south to Lincoln Street, west to City Hall. At 11 a.m., there will be a short ceremony on the south lawn at City Hall.

• Niles — Join American Legion Post 26 for the Memorial Day parade stepping off at 10 a.m. from Second and Sycamores Streets. The parade will travel east to Silverbrook Cemetery.

• Osceola — At 8 a.m. May 29, the Osceola Memorial Day parade will travel west on Lincoln Way to Grand Boulevard.

• St. Joseph — At noon May 26, the St. Joseph Memorial Day parade will begin at the intersection of Lake Boulevard and Park Street and will finish at the John E.N. Howard Bandshell. There will be a short program at the bandshell honoring those who served. Veterans and active-duty military are invited to join the parade. Please call 269-985-1111 to join.

• South Bend — The West Side Memorial Day Parade will begin at 8 a.m. May 29 from the intersection of Lombardy Drive and Ford Street. At noon May 26, Mayor James Mueller will join the community for a street renaming ceremony at Lombardy and Ford.

• Stevensville — The Stevensville American Legion Post 568 will host a Memorial Day Parade at 11 a.m. May 29. The route starts in front of Watermark and Stevensville City Hall, 2055 W. John Beers Road, and ends at the Lincoln Township Cemetery. All Veterans are encouraged to wear military attire or thematic clothing, if you have, and participate in the parade.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Events, parades planned in area for Memorial Day