County prepares for Memorial Day events

Memorial Day 2012 is rapidly approaching and several towns in Marion County are planning Monday events to honor local veterans who died in service to their country.

Ceremonies are planned in Hillsboro, Marion, Florence, Peabody, Pilsen, Lincolnville and other locations.

Hillsboro

Former Kansas Rep. Don Dahl will be speaker at the Hillsboro Memorial Day observance starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park, said Dick Carr, commander of American Legion Post 366.

The ceremony will begin with the Color Guard advancing colors and the Sons of the Ameri?can Legion raising the American flag.

Carr said he will ask those in attendance to pay tribute to the men and women who have given their lives in service to their country. Kathy Carr, auxiliary chaplain, will offer the Memorial Day prayer.

A roll call of the dead will be given by Wayne Friesen and Ron Suderman, followed by a 21-gun salute and Lewis Hagen playing taps.

A steak feed is planned at the American Legion post at 405 Floral Drive, beginning at noon. Advance tickets are on sale for $12 per person.

For more information, call 620-947-3624.

Marion

Memorial Day services in Marion will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Marion Cemetery.

Post Adjutant Gary Chaput with American Legion Post 22, said Dennis Burch, retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Major, will be this year?s speaker.

Jeremiah Lance, pastor of Marion Presbyterian Church, will offer the prayer and Eliza?beth Goentzel will play the national anthem and taps on trumpet.

In addition to American Legion members participating in the Honor Guard, Jim Davis with VFW Post 6958 will be present.

Small American flags will be placed on grave-site markers at 5 p.m. Friday, Chaput said, and the large flags will be placed at 7:30 a.m. Sunday.

The American Legion, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and members of the local community will take down small and large flags Monday afternoon at 3 p.m.

The program will begin with the Honor Guard assembling at the Civil War Monument, followed by the national anthem played at the cemetery.

?Decoration of the memorial in honor of the dead of all wars will be by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary,? he said.

Donna Kreutziger, Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 6958, said the auxiliary will do the wreath presentation at the Civil War Memorial.

Following the service, the Marion Kiwanis Club will serve refreshments at Marion Elemen?tary School.

AL Commander Kevin Hoff?ner said Roger ?Bud? Hannaford Jr., who died last fall, will be missed for his help in organizing the service.

?Bud took care of everything for many, many years,? he said. ?It takes three of us to accomplish what he did by himself,? referring to himself, Chaput and Richard Soyez.

?Bud always organized the Memorial Day service and we are trying to carry on that tradition, but it?s taking three of us to fill his shoes,? he said.

Florence

Reilly Reid, Florence American Legion Post 308, said three Memorial Day services will take place Monday.

The first service will be west of Florence at Mount Calvary Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. with Father Hein Paul Nguyen, Holy Family Parish, officiating.

Cedar Point Cemetery, south of Cedar Point, will host a service at 10 a.m., and north of Florence at Hillcrest Cemetery a ceremony will begin at 11 a.m.

?Our guest speaker at Hill?crest Cemetery will be Ron ?Doc? Herdon, a medic who served in Vietnam,? Reed said. ?(Herdon) was a purple heart recipient.?

Retired USAF Senior MSgt Terry Lehman will lay of the wreaths at Hillcrest.

Following the Florence service, the American Legion is inviting everyone to the post for a casual lunch.

Pilsen, Lincolnville

The Memorial Day service begins at 9 a.m. Monday at Pilsen Cemetery, which is being arranged by the Pilsen Cemetery Board, according William Benda, board chair.

Following a welcome by Benda, Deanna Klenda will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the reading of the veterans honor roll.

Klenda will pray for prisoners of war and military members missing in action. L. Edward Davies will recite the American Creed, which is a way to remember those who sacrificed their lives so others would be free. Davies will also read the Father Emil Kapaun prayer.

The service will conclude with a wreath laying and taps sung by Mary Konarik Griffith and with trumpet accompaniment by Tabitha Oborny.

The Gilbert Poppe American Legion Post 347 in Lincolnville will give a rifle salute.

A service is also planned at 10 a.m. at the Lincolnville Cemetery.

Peabody

Services for Memorial Day begin at 10 a.m. Monday, at Peabody Cemetery with pastor James Pohlman speaking.

According to organizers, the Girl Scouts will raise the American flag.

Civil War reenactors will march through the Avenue of Flags to place wreaths on the graves of fallen soliders at Prairie Lawn Cemetery.

The Peabody-Burns High School sophomore class is sponsoring a dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. following the ceremony.

As part of the weekend-long celebration, a cemetery tour is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday with a bus tour of area cemeteries.

Other highlights for the weekend include the Dale Hague Memorial Hub benefit dinner starting at 5 p.m. Friday; antique street market Saturday; the ?Siege on Peabody? at 4 p.m., musical entertainment at 5 p.m. and a community ice cream social from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

For a full list of activities visit: peabodyks.com.

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