Memorial Day activities on tap for Clovis, Portales

Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M.
·2 min read

May 27—Fallen uniformed service members, including a Roosevelt County World War II prisoner of war soon to be buried at home and faithful K-9 service dog, will be honored in cemetery services on Monday, Memorial Day, in Clovis and Portales.

In Portales, The News' columnist Betty Williamson will tell the story of PFC Thomas Vernon Long, who died in 1942 while a prisoner of war in the Phillipines, and the long journey involved to return his body home to Portales for burial.

Williamson will be the main speaker at Portales' graveside ceremony to honor fallen veterans, held at Portales Cemetery, according to Randy Dunson, commander of Portales' American Legion Post 31, who organized the Monday ceremony.

The ceremony will also honor Long's last surviving sister, Jean Sawyer, who is 96 years old

"We decided this year to make it personal," Dunson said, so all ceremony participants will be local.

Colors will be raised by members of the Legion post and representatives of the New Mexico Navy Sea Cadets program, a statewide youth program sponsored by the U.S. Navy, Dunson said.

The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Joe Blair Pavilion in the Portales Cemetery, 1600 E. Third St., Portales.

In Clovis, the Memorial Day ceremonies will begin at noon at the Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens, at 1601 Llano Estacado Blvd.

The ceremony, sponsored by Elks Lodge 1244 in Clovis, will feature a color guard from Cannon Air Force Base and talks by Col. Harry L. Seibert, commander of the 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group at Cannon Air Force Base, and Brent Aguilar, a retired Clovis Police K-9 officer, according to Valentino Martinez, exalted ruler of the Clovis Elks Lodge and event organizer.

Aguilar will talk about the career of Aras, his K-9 service dog, who was recently euthanized, and about the role of service dogs for police and the military.

K-9 units from Clovis Police and Cannon AFB will also attend the ceremony, Martinez said.

Clovis Police Capt. Roman Romero will play Taps. Armed Forces veterans Tom Pahoke and Fred Lyberger will explain the meaning of Taps, Martinez said. Eric Taylor, another veteran, will deliver a prayer.

In addition, Martinez said, representatives of U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez will speak.

Contingents from the American Legion, the Legion Riders, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Knights of Columbus, and the Elks will bring banners to be flown during the ceremony, Martinez said.

Following the ceremony, the Elks will host a meal free of charge to active military members, veterans and their families from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 218 Sycamore St., Clovis, Martinez said.

Martinez said he received donations of money and supplies from area businesses, as well as much assistance from fellow Elks officers in readying for the event.