Memorial Day services set throughout local area

The Knox American Legion Post 720 rifle team saluted fallen veterans on Memorial Day 2018 at St. Mark’s Cemetery in Ashland Township. The cemetery had a flag placed at the edge of the cemetery to represent each war in which men and women fought and died. American Legion and VFW posts, along with their auxiliary units, will conduct Memorial Day service throughout the county next Monday. (Submitted photo)
From staff reports

Organizations throughout Clarion County have announced plans for Memorial Day observances.

Clarion

American Legion Post 66 and Ross A. McGinnis Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2145, both of Clarion will co-host a Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. Monday, May 27, in Clarion Cemetery on Second Avenue.

The VFW Commander Richard Kindel will be monitoring the event. The Rev. Jacob Jacobson of the Grace Lutheran Church of Clarion will lead the invocation and benediction.

The Clarion Area High School band under the direction of Chris Curry will play the National Anthem and “Taps,” and the Clarion Community Choir will also provide musical selections.

Captain Hamid Conteh, assistant professor of military science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania will be the guest speaker.

The American Legion Post 66 Honor Guard will provide the rifle salute and auxiliary presidents from the American Legion and VFW will place the wreath.

Following the services at the cemetery, naval services will be held at the Wayne R. Weaver Memorial Bridge at Toby.

In the event of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Clarion VFW Liberty Street Restaurant.

Following both services, a lunch will be held at the Liberty House Restaurant (VFW) at 603 Liberty Street, Clarion.

For more information concerning the Memorial Day service, contact VFW Commander Rich Kindel at (814) 227-5660.

East Brady

The following schedules are for American Legion Post 402 in East Brady and Post 488 in Brady’s Bend on Memorial Day, May 27.

American Legion Jones-Connor Post 402 of East Brady: 8:30 a.m. meet at Post 402;9 a.m. at Saint Eusebius Cemetery; 9:30 a.m. at Phillipston Cemetery; 11:30 a.m. at Sgt. Carl F. Curran Bridge in East Brady; and return to Post 488 for lunch.

American Legion Bishop-Madden Post 488 of Brady’s Bend: 8 a.m., meet at Post 488; 9 a.m., flag raising at Post 488 (This will include people who gather at Brady’s Bend Protestant Cemetery and Brady’s Bend Honor Roll);9:30 a.m., Robinson Cemetery in Hillsville; 10 a.m., St. Paul’s Church; 11 a.m., St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery; 11:30 a.m., Sgt. Carl F. Curran Bridge in East Brady;return to Post 488 for lunch.

Knox

The Berlin Bowser Post 720 American Legion in Knox will hold Memorial Day services Monday, May 27, at the following cemeteries:

9 a.m., St. Mark’s at Kossuth

9:30 a.m., Mt. Pleasant at Shippenville

10 a.m., Providence

10:15 a.m., Wolf’s Campground

10:30 a.m., Mt. Joy

11 a.m., St. Paul Twin Church at Knox

11:30 a.m., Knox Union Cemetery

The public is invited to attend any of these services.

There will also be a Luminary Celebration of Veterans service held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26, at Knox Cemetery and will then travel to Knox Community Park for services at 7 p.m.

Lamartine

The DeHart-Rossman-Wenner Post 997 will meet at 7:30 a.m. Monday, May 27, at the community building and proceed to the following cemeteries for services:

8:20 a.m., Zion

8:45 a.m., Richland

9:05 a.m., Crossroads

9:25 a.m., Starr

9:45 a.m., Valley

10:15 a.m., Monroe

10:45 a.m., Salem United Church of Christ

11:15 a.m., Salem Lutheran

11:30 a.m., Veterans Memorial

All legion members and any other service men, auxiliary, Boy and Girl Scouts and other groups wishing to participate are welcome.

A public cafeteria style dinner will be served following the program at the Salem Community Building benefiting of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Also, a memorial program will be held with groups assembling at 6:30 p.m. and services at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26, at Knox Community Park.

Rimersburg

The Shearer-Shick Post 454 of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7132 will host Memorial Sunday, May 26, and Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, commemorative services.

Beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 26, at the Veterans’ Park, memorial Terry George will act as Master of Ceremonies for the services. Rev. John Milliron, pastor of the Baker Street Church of God, will be the guest speaker.

In the event of inclement weather, Sunday memorial services will be held in the United Methodist Church in Rimersburg.

The annual Memorial Day parade will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, May 27, starting at the Rimersburg Elementary School. The program at the cemetery will begin upon arrival of the parade procession.

Union High School marching band, with Lisa Hummel as director, will participate. Steve Wiencek will serve as Master of Ceremonies and Rex Munsee will provide the invocation, prayer and benediction.

The guest speaker will be Rachel Kindel.

Three Union High School eighth grade students will participate in the program. Georgia Palm, daughter of Mike and Lark Palm of Rimersburg, will recite the “Gettysburg Address,” Grace Kindel, daughter of Scott and Rachel Kindel of Sligo, will recite “In Flander’s Fields,” and Rebecca Solida, daughter of Carl Solida of Rimersburg and Sue Solida of Sligo, will recite “America’s Answer.”

In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held at 9 a.m. at the Rimersburg Community Building.

Veterans need not be a member of the American Legion or the VFW to participate in either service. Any veteran desiring to be part of the parade but are not physically able to do so, should call the commander of the American Legion, Terry Custer, at 473-8364 and transportation will be arranged to and from the cemetery.

New Bethlehem

The Walter W. Craig Post 354 of the American Legion will hold a Memorial Day service for the New Bethlehem community.

The service will be held Saturday, May 25, at Gumtown Park.

In the event of inclement weather, the service will be moved to the First Baptist Church at the corner of Broad and Lafayette streets.

The featured speaker will be the Rev. Bud Davis, senior pastor of the Redbank Valley United Methodist Ministry and a U.S. Army veteran.

The program will include patriotic music provided by the Redbank Valley High School band and alumni, under the direction of Eli Terwilliger and “Taps” will be rendered by the mother-son duo of Debbie and Matthew Green. The national anthem will be sung by the barbershop music quartet, Special K. Legion Post member Michael Mazzocco will play “Amazing Grace” on his bagpipes.

Special recognition will be given to the history of the national American Legion, which was founded 100 years ago in Paris, France, following the conclusion of World War I.

The New Bethlehem post also was started in 1919 and named in honor of Walter W. Craig, who was the area’s first soldier to volunteer to military service just days after war was declared, and he was also the first local soldier to die in that war.

Strattanville

The Strattanville American Legion Post 249 will hold its annual Memorial Day service at 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 27 at Strattanville legion. In the event of rain weather, services will be in the sanctuary of the Methodist Church in Strattanville.

Fred Lewis, Post commander, will be Master of Ceremonies for the service.

Guest speaker, Terry E. George is a U.S. Navy and Vietnam veteran. He is a Rimersburg native and currently lives in New Bethlehem.

He served aboard the U.S.S. Jouett DLG-29 and it is home ported in San Diego, California.

George has served as president of the U.S.S. Jouett Association, a nationwide association dedicated to keeping the history of the Navy alive.

He was also a member of the committee to place the World War II monument in the Veterans Park in Clarion.

George was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Vietnam veterans moving wall in Jefferson County.

He currently serves as president of the Rimersburg Veterans Museum and Park and also is a member of the committee to construct a veterans’ park in New Bethlehem.

George is married to the former Marsha Oaks of Roseville and they are the proud parents of four adult children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Rev. Jim Davis of the Strattanville Pilgrim Holiness Church will give invocation and benediction.

Ron Rosser will place the wreath. Clarion-Limestone band, under the direction of Jenn Coast will provide music and local Boy Scouts will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pat Lewis, auxiliary president will present the eighth-grade medal to Clarion-Limestone student, Kendall Dunn. She is the daughter of Craig and Laura Dunn of Clarion.

After the service, there will be a luncheon provided with a ham dinner as the entre at Strattanville fire hall.