Roundup of Memorial Day events in the region
May 27—Several organizations and veterans groups are planning public ceremonies throughout the weekend to honor war veterans in observance of Memorial Day.
Among the first events to take place this weekend is a ceremony honoring veterans at 1 p.m. Saturday at Peace Church Cemetery, located on the east side of Peace Church Road halfway between Zora and Fountain roads in Jasper County.
Hosted by the Peace Church Cemetery Association board and American Legion Post 13, the ceremony will include the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, the placement of American flags on veterans' headstones as their name and service information is read aloud, the installation of a saddle at the veterans' memorial, a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps.
Veterans buried at Peace Church Cemetery represent the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War. The ceremony is open to the public.
Volunteers from Peace Church Cemetery also will be available throughout the holiday weekend to help visitors find burial locations of family members and to answer questions about the historic cemetery. The information booth will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.
—CARTHAGE, Mo. — Veterans in Carthage will gather to remember those who have died at Park Cemetery this Memorial Day for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Dale Murphey, an organizer of the event, said the Carthage American Legion, VFW Post 2590, Disabled American Veterans and Combat Vets Motorcycle Association will gather at the veterans memorial at Park Cemetery in Carthage at 10 a.m. Monday.
"With the pandemic we figured people wouldn't want to come out and be around other people and we just thought it was it was best not to even try," Murphey said. "We missed it and there are a lot of veterans in the area that come out to watch us present the flags and fold the flag and present the wreath at the base of the monument."
The Combat Vets Motorcycle Association will carry in the colors and pass them to the honor guard at the memorial who will then post the flags behind the memorial.
Retired First Sgt. Patrick Brown will be the speaker. The event will be held at Memorial Hall if bad weather threatens.
—PITTSBURG, Kan. — Pittsburg State University will honor veterans and their families during a virtual Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday at the PSU Veterans Memorial, 1909 S. Rouse Ave.
The ceremony will feature recorded remarks by Kirby Brown, current dean of Park University's College of Management and a 40-year veteran of military and federal service. It also will feature a color guard of cadets from PSU's ROTC program, and the playing of taps and singing of the national anthem by PSU music students.
Brown, a PSU graduate, completed his federal career as a member of the Senior Executive Service with the Department of Defense. Prior to joining Park University, he served as the deputy to the commanding general for the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Brown was the chief operation officer for the center's global operations. His other military assignments have included leading Army research and development of space-based technology units, along with 22 years of uniformed service in the Army. He has served as a senior military analyst with the Institute for Defense Analyses and in various leadership positions with medium-sized defense companies.
A livestream of the ceremony will be available at pittstate.tv.
—MIAMI, Okla. — The city's G.A.R. Cemetery will host a Memorial Day ceremony for the public at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the cemetery's flagpole, 2801 N. Main St.
The local Marine Corps League will host the colors, and Girl Scout Troop 17388 will perform the flag ceremony. American Legion Post 147 will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, perform the fire volleys and play taps. Robert Alexander, of the Marine Corps League, will lead opening and closing prayers.
Following the ceremony, Brown-Winters Funeral Home will serve hot dogs and chips, supplied by the city of Miami and G.A.R. Cemetery.
The public also is invited to help prepare for the ceremony. Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other volunteers will work throughout the cemetery to place flags on veterans graves. Stick flags will be available in front of the cemetery office for members of the community to place on gravestones.
—RIDGEDALE, Mo. — The Vietnam War memorial wall will be on display through Monday at Big Cedar Lodge, 109 Top of the Rock Road. The replica of the memorial shows 55,000 names of the fallen during the Vietnam War. It is located on the lawn outside the Big Cedar resort registration office.
A Run to Remember 5K is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The free event will be held on the trail behind the fitness center on the Big Cedar resort property.
A Paddleboat Family Fishing Tournament also will be held Saturday. Tournaments will be offered at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Those participating will have one hour to try to catch the heaviest fish. Winners will receive prizes. The entry fee is $10 per person. Register at www.bigcedar.com.
