By CORINNE MESSER
The Progress
A special Memorial Day flag-raising ceremony was held bright and early at Overton’s Pioneer Cemetery on Monday, May 29, in honor of our nation’s fallen heroes.
VFW Auxilary Junior Vice President, Lorraine O’Dell, who helped coordinate the event, welcomed those in attendance as they entered the cemetery, presenting each with a small American flag and pin.
Local veterans and members of VFW Elwood Perkins Post #8336 Darcy Bushman, Phillip Mullins, and Michael Moriarty performed a flag-raising ceremony, raising the colors as a crowd of 30 people observed the solemn occasion.
O’Dell led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the singing of the National Anthem. A prayer was given by Overton resident Bryan Mortensen who expressed gratitude for those who served and sacrificed for this country.
O’Dell opened the floor to those in attendance to remember and talk about loved ones who served in the military. O’Dell began these brief reminiscences by talking about her two sons who served in the US Army as Combat Engineers, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
As people shared their stories, the Revolutionary War, both World Wars, Korean Conflict, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan were all mentioned.
One Logandale resident said his son was currently serving in the army in Special Ops out of Fort Bragg.
Overton resident Marianne Barrett told about her grandmother, Marjorie Whipple Petersen along with her sister Barbara, had worked in Long Beach during WWII as welders in the shipyards. They were real “Rosie the Riveters,” Barrett said.
“On this Memorial Day, find a family member who served, ask them about it, and write it down in your journals so it will not be forgotten,” said O’Dell at the conclusion of the ceremony.
At the end of the program, the VFW members lowered the flag to half-mast to honor the dead on Memorial Day.
After the ceremony, local youth Hailey Kelly said she liked hearing everyone talk about their family members who served. “World War II seems so long ago to me,” she said. “So to hear someone say their Grandpa served in that war was so cool!”
“My grandfather, Ray Matheny, was a POW in WWII when his plane was shot down over Germany,” noted attendee Aaron Walker of Logandale. “He was in a prisoner of war camp for 2 years. His job was to slice bread in the prison. He was allowed to keep the crumbs that fell off of his knife. That’s what he ate. He wrote a book about his experiences called ‘Rite of Passage.”
Maisy Mortensen, a youth from Overton said that her family attends this ceremony every year. Her favorite part is watching the flag-raising. She said that her Great Uncle, Bryant Robison served in the Korean War.
O’Dell has been serving in the VFW Auxiliary for 10 years. She joined to honor her sons who served.
“I love this country and I love God!” she said. “God Bless America!”
