Local ceremonies honor veterans, fallen soldiers on Memorial Day

Memorial Day means more than a nice day for a backyard barbecue to the hundreds of people who turned out to honor veterans Monday at events in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

The Jackson Municipal Band played John Philip Sousa marches for the crowd of about 200 people attending the Memorial Day program sponsored by American Legion Post 158 at the Jackson Cemetery. Many wore shirts, hats and scarves with the stars and stripes on them.

Guest speaker Larry Ferrell, assistant federal prosecutor, said the freedom Americans enjoy exists only because men and women were willing to fight and die for them.

Since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, more than 1 million military men and women have died in service to their country, he said.

"Today we pause to honor those men and women who have given the last full measure of their lives fighting to protect the security of this nation and our individual freedoms and our individual liberties," Ferrell said. "To them we owe everything,"

He encouraged people to fly the American flag at their homes on Memorial Day and every day in honor of those who've given their lives for their country.

Tony LaForest, a disabled Marine Corps veteran, said after the program he was filled with pride. He served in the Persian Gulf, his father served at Pearl Harbor and his brother in Vietnam.

"I knew I was going to do it since I was 10 years old," LaForest said about his decision to join the military. "It's a family tradition."

Many families attended the ceremony together, including Kelly Crawford and her three children, ages 3, 5 and 7.

"I think it's important to teach them what veterans do for our country and how to honor them," Crawford said.

At the Cape Girardeau Joint Veterans Council's Memorial Day service at the Osage Centre about a dozen residents from the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home lined the front row as special guests.

Resident Charles Werner played his harmonica at his seat as the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band performed several patriotic tunes.

More than 350 people attended the service, which included a wreath-laying ceremony and gun salute.

Sgt. Agnes M. Eyler of the Missouri Army National Guard, a 17-year veteran and mother of five, gave the keynote address.

"To those who have died and all those who have fought, we owe the honor of our respect for delivering to us freedom upon nothing less than the commitment of their life and the willingness to lose it for that defense," said Eyler, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy, following in her father's footsteps, in 1992 and in 1997 became a full-time member of the Army National Guard. She served in Iraq in 2004 and 2005.

She recalled visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, where her father is also buried.

"A memorial that's a little closer to home that we see every day is all the signs placed on the interstate. It's called Heroes Way," she said.

She thanked all those who have worked hard to remember fallen soldiers here in Missouri.

Several times while watching the service, Cindy LaBruyere fought back tears.

"We need to teach those veterans that their service is not in vain, that we appreciate everything they do," she said.

mmiller@semisssourian.com

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