Ford Street in South Bend gets a healthy dose of attention at this time of the year. A parade happens there. The Westside Memorial Day Parade begins at 8:15 a.m. May 27 at Ford and Lombardy Drive and it will travel east.
A few bands, floats and classic cars will fill out the parade. Pilot Damian Dieter and other local pilots is expected to do a flyover along the parade route. The end of the parade is at Olive and Ford.
A Mass is scheduled in the St. Joseph Cemetery chapel at 10:15 a.m. A military service follows at 11 a.m.
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It is a parade to honor heroes. In the neighborhood, it is a chance to have a big breakfast or a cookout. Adult children show up on doorsteps carrying doughnuts just as the sound of motorcycles and sirens are heard down the street.
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It is a great small-town tradition.
Kathy Sobecki’s family has lived in the neighborhood since the 1950s. “We gather at Ford and Juniper. Kids, grandchildren, great grandchildren. We then go back to mom’s house for hotdogs, doughnuts and pop. Beer for the adults. Over the years, the menu got smaller and that’s what mom (Val) wants.”
Katie Reaves is the parade marshal and she has been organizing the parade for months. Signing up people and groups to participate, working with the city and looking for volunteers. She and her committee have had regular meetings to keep people informed. Facebook updates let the public know how things are progressing. Yard signs notified the public on the meeting schedule.
She praised the South Bend Police and her volunteers who get there early or walk the entire 17 blocks. “I could use a few more volunteers along the way.”
She has been watching it for as long as she can remember and knows there are dozens of small parties along the way. Katie has been volunteering for seven or so years.
As of last week, the parade had about 50 units. Katie said the deadline was May 15 and she expected a rush at the end. She would be happy with 80. “There are always applications at the end. The key to a good parade is keeping it tight. No one should be stopping. This isn’t Macy’s parade. Forward motion is important.”
The parade is an important aspect of the westside. “We didn’t have a parade for several years during COVID. People said we had to make it a success or it would stop. City council member Sheila Niezgodski helped to make it happen in 2023. That was a lot of pressure,” Katie said.
Katie said she has momentum now. “It is getting to be real soon. Pray for good weather.”
For information about the parade, visit the South Bend Westside Memorial Day Parade on Facebook.
One aspect of the parade is also wishing for good weather for the flyover. Damian Dieter’s lemon yellow two-seater Varga Kachina airplane will look perfect against the Indiana blue skies.
Flying is in his blood. He grew up watching and learning from his father, Dr. Richard Dieter. Damian, who also plays bass in the local rock band Art & the Artichokes, followed in dad’s footsteps in the air and into the practice of podiatry. “Dad took his physical for the Navy in anticipation of starting flight school. He was told he was colorblind.”
Not being able to fly for the services didn’t stop Richard from learning and later guiding his son.
Back to Memorial Day and the prayer for good weather. Damian and several other local pilots will do a flyover during the Westside Memorial Parade. He has participated for several years, minus the COVID years, since 2017.
He is fortunate to be around to participate. He crashed a silver Varga plane last July on the way to the Oshkosh Experimental Airshow. A leaking gas hose drained his tank mid-flight. “I thought I had 11 gallons.” The plane landed in a Wisconsin cornfield and flipped over.
He and his passenger were able to crawl out. Authorities showed up and took them to the hospital. Damian suffered a broken nose and some scrapes. The plane didn’t come home.
However, you can’t keep a good man down. He found the yellow 1976 Varga Kachina 2150 A airplane. George Patton “Pat” Waters wanted to sell the plane to the right sort of pilot. Pat comes from a long family history with military roots. The family traces its roots back to the Magna Carta in 1215.
More recently, he is the grandson of Gen. George S. Patton, the famous World War II general.
Pat is in his 80s and was giving up flying. “Pat didn’t know if he really wanted to sell it, but I told him about my dad’s love of flying.” That sealed the deal. The purchase was completed in early spring.
Damian said on seeing the plane, “It was love at first sight.”
The yellow Varga Kachina resides in a hangar near Corporate Wings at South Bend International Airport. It is the same hangar that stored his father’s plane. It feels like home to Damian.
The hangar also doubles as a museum with flight suits, photos and memorabilia from both of his parents, Richard and Jean.
Damian is looking forward to the parade flyover and any chance to fly for that matter. “First, the Earth looks beautiful from 3,000 feet. No potholes, no litter. Secondly, flying reconnects me with my father and I feel a spirit with me every time I fly. Third, there’s no politicians up there, so that's great. Lastly, it brings on in me a sense of tranquility, as it's just me and the machine. The feeling is just amazing.”
Kathy's email is kfborlik@yahoo.com.
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