Remembering those who have fallen

O

n Memorial Day, we take the time to remember those who have served our country in the various branches of the military and have given their lives in service. And, while we should always remember and commemorate the men and women who defend our land, we set aside this special day of the year to extend gratitude to the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice. 

There are many veterans who live in this area, and the community thanks all of them. And while we realize that Memorial Day is fundamentally a day set aside to honor those who have died while in service to our country, we also want to recognize and honor all veterans who have served.

In the beginning, Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers, then became Memorial Day, a federal holiday, in 1971. It is a day to pay tribute by placing flowers, wreaths and flags on the graves of veterans, honoring those brave men and women. This week the News Letter Journal is paying tribute to a particular veteran who recently passed away, Wayne Vickers, and although he did not die while in service, he is one of the many local veterans we seek to feature on these pages.

So, on this Memorial Day remember that the lives of those who have served beyond just their time in the service. From the time they are born until the time they leave this earth, with all the memories, special moments, and even pain, in between. Although gone, their memory still lives on. 

A special thank you goes out to all of those who have served, and to all their family and friends. We appreciate the sacrifices you have all made.