Ceremonies planned for Memorial Day

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American Legion and Legion Auxiliary members from throughout Pierce County will celebrate Memorial Day with special programs May 26.

Listed below is a rundown of events.

Ellsworth

Kinne-Engelhart Post 204 of the American Legion will start its annual parade beginning at 9:45 a.m. The route will be from the Legion Hall on Oak Street north to Main Street, then east on Main to Chestnut Street and south on Chestnut to the Ellsworth High School cafetorium.

The program there will start at 10:15 a.m., with Post Commander Glenn Wakefield as master of ceremonies. The EHS band, directed by Dan Kayhart, will provide an opening musical selection.

At 10:20 a.m., there will be a drum roll, advance of colors, the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance led by the Ellsworth Boy Scouts. Pastor Lauryl Stockness, English Lutheran Church, will offer the invocation at 10:35 a.m.

Following more musical selections from the band, Kathy Barber, Unit 204 Auxiliary president, will introduce guests.

St. Croix County Veteran Services Officer Merlin Blaisdell, the former Pierce County VSO, will be the featured speaker.

Legionnaires Richard Decosta and Gerald Christiansen will lead the tribute to deceased veterans, after which Barber and Decosta will preside at the wreath ceremony.

Kylee Kullow, accompanied by Phyllis Beastrom, will sing “In Flanders Field.” A prayer and benediction by Pastor Stockness will precede the firing of gun salute and playing of “Taps,” with a drum roll and retirement of colors concluding the program. Afterward, lunch will be served at the Legion Hall, with family members invited.

The cemetery visitation schedule shows:

—Squad 1, 7:45 a.m., Maple Grove; 8 a.m., United Church of Christ; 8:25 a.m., Zion Covenant; 8:45 a.m., Old Clayfield; and 9 a.m., Clayfield.

—Squad 2, 7:45 a.m., St. Francis; 8 a.m., Thurston Hill; 8:15 a.m., Beldenville; 8:35 a.m., El Paso; and 8:55 a.m., Lost Creek.

—Squad 3, 7:45 a.m., Hartland Presbyterian; 8 a.m., Bethlehem Lutheran; 8:25 a.m., Bethel Covenant (Moeville); and 8:55 a.m., Trimbelle.

Bay City

Pastor Carol Ann McArdell from Svea Lutheran Church, Hager City, and Tabor Lutheran Church, Bay City, will be the guest speaker at Bay City observances.

Bay City Legion Post 357 and its Auxiliary will visit eight sites on Memorial Day, said Bob Stroupe.

Legion and Auxiliary members will start at 8 a.m. at Eidsvold Cemetery in Esdaile. The ceremony at Hartland Cemetery will begin at 8:30 a.m. At 9 a.m., Legion members will assemble at Tabor Lutheran Church and, at 9:30 a.m., ceremonies will be held at the lake shore in Bay City to honor those who died at sea. The Ellsworth Middle School Band will perform there.

The band will play and Pastor McArdell will speak at a 10 a.m. service at Bay City Cemetery and at a 10:45 a.m. assembly at Trenton Cemetery.

An 11:30 a.m. service at Diamond Bluff Cemetery and a noon observance at Svea Lutheran Cemetery will conclude the activities.

For more please read the May 21 print version of the Herald.

Tags: news, piercecounty, memorialday