Veterans, families gather to honor 'the ultimate sacrifice'
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Russell Marlowe, right, listens as the Rev. Kit
Yeaste opens the annual Memorial Day service
with prayer. Click the photos below
to enlarge them.
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Jodie Haydon,
at left, chats with others attending Monday's Memorial Day
service. |
State Sen.
Dan Kelly was one of several speakers. |
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The
Rev. Kit Yeaste spoke of the heroes who fought for freedom,
and those who preserve it today.
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The Rev.
Clarence Howard, pastor of St. Catherine's in New Haven, gave
the benediction. |
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Local veterans
listen to Rev. Yeaste's prayer.
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Dr. Harry
Spalding, right, stands with other veterans.
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Above,
Tom Isaac, news director of PLG TV-13 listens with video camera
ready during remarks. Below, Holly Cecil shoots a photo
for Wednesday's edition of The Kentucky Standard.
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Decorated
World War II vet Roy Brooks stands beneath a flag and yellow
ribbons on the gazebo at the Bardstown Cemetery. Brooks has
organized the Memorial Day services for nearly 20 years. |
May 26,
2003
By JIM
BROOKS
Recalling
the harrowing tale told my a Nelson County resident and World War
II veteran, the Rev. Kit Yeaste reminded onlookers that Memorial
Day honors not just those who died serving our country.
Those
who returned to take their place in society as husbands, fathers
and wage earners are also heroes, Yeaste said.
Yeaste's
remark and accompanying prayer opened the traditional Memorial Day
service held annually at the gazebo in the Bardstown Cemetery.
State
Sen. Dan Kelly spoke at length about the patriotism and sacrifice
of Kentucky farmers who took up arms and endured the horrors of
war. State Rep. Jodie Hayden, Bardstown Mayor Dixie Hibbs, leaders
of America Legion Post 121 and 167 and the Rev. Clarence Howard
also spoke.
Roy
Brooks, a decorated Navy veteran of World War II, emceed the event
as he has since its inception in 1984.
TRADITION
CONTINUES. Prior to the annual Memorial Day service at the cemetery,
the county's American Legion posts coordinated the placing of flags
on veterans' graves in all of the county's cemeteries. James "Brooksie"
Brooks coordinated this annual effort, which took place the Sunday
before Memorial Day each year.
Legion
post members and their families helped set the flags out. Brooks
kept detailed maps of the cemeteries and coordinated his updates
with funeral directors in the county. Flags were placed on some
of the county's oldest graves in the Pioneer Cemetery as well as
on the grave of John Fitch on the Court Square.
In
the 1980s, maintaining the maps continued to be a problem as more
and more names were added. For years, Brooks had maintained that
a central memorial service and a marker would be a better way to
honor veterans than the flags, which often were destroyed soon after
Memorial Day by mowing crews. Sometimes the flags were stolen, and
families would call Brooks for replacements which were provided.
Brooks,
a member of St. Joseph Parish, discussed the idea of a memorial
at the cemetery with church pastor the Rev. Clarence Howard. Howard
had a flag pole and Brooks the idea; in time the details for the
flag pole and a memorial were hammered out. The project was completed
in time for Memorial Day 1984.
The
National Guard usually provides a color guard, bugler and a howitzer
for a 21-gun salute. But since the local Guard unit has been deployed,
their services were not available, Roy Brooks explained.
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At
left, a mother sits with her daughter
in the sun near the gazebo
during Monday's Memorial Day service. |
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