Memorial Day ceremony returns to PB Veterans Wall

In a step back to normal, the Poplar Bluff Veterans Council will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony again this year.

The group did not host it last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the limited ability to socially distance during the event.

It will be held at 11 a.m., at the Veterans Memorial Wall, outside the Black River Coliseum.

The council works with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6477, American Legion Riders Post 494, Vietnam Veterans of America and the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center to put it on.

This year, the program includes Staff Sgt. May Jayne Bader as the keynote speaker.

There will also be remarks from Staff Sgt. Kevin Tinker, U.S. Navy, and associate director for Patient Care Services at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

Bader was born and raised in southern Illinois as the second oldest of eight siblings. Her father was a Korean War veteran and her sister served in the Army.

She joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1984.

While in service, Bader helped with flood duty, riot control and tornado disasters.

She received several First Sgt. Awards, Command Sgt. Maj. Awards, Battalion Commander Awards and the Army Impact Achievement medal for correcting a Comsec incident in the field while at Fort Hood.

Bader also worked at Walmart for 14 years while in the Guard and had her own exercise business.

In 1999, she moved to Poplar Bluff with her youngest daughter, but still attended drilled and summer training in Illinois. In 2003, she went to Iraq.

Bader was honorably discharged with 21 years as a staff sergeant and received a National Defense Ribbon along with various other awards.

She received a service coin from President George W. Bush when he visited Poplar Bluff in 2004.

After working 15 years at the Poplar Bluff Veterans Administration, Bader retired. She now advocates for veterans through the Veterans Treatment Court as a mentor.

She is the quartermaster at Wappapello VFW Post 3416, and serves on the board of Cape Arrowhead.

She also competes in the Veterans Gold Age Olympic Games, where she's earned four bronze medals.