A group of residents attended the annual Silver Lake Memorial Service at Lakeview Cemetery Saturday morning, May 27.

Text and Photos
By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

SILVER LAKE — A group gathered at Lakeview Cemetery in Silver Lake to honor those who have given their lives in service to the country Saturday morning, May 27.

Members of Warsaw American Legion Post 49 Honor Guard and choir members of God’s All Community Choir were on hand to help in the celebration along with members of the Patriot Riders. Flags from every branch of service, fire, police and EMS were flown with the American Flag.

Kent Harting, pastor of Center United Methodist Church, gave the morning’s address.

“For many American’s the last Monday in May marks the unofficially start of the summer,  a long weekend with family barbecues and  gathering of friends,” he stated. “For us here at Silver Lake, we always do this ceremony on Saturday morning, of Memorial day weekend. For those of you who served in the military, Memorial Day holds a greater significance as it commemorates the brave men and women who lost their lives defending our great nation. At the core of our military lie unique things, the selfless desire to serve and the willingness to sacrifice to defend our nation.”

Harting noted over 155 years ago, the day was known as Decoration Day. A day to beautify the graves in memory of those who had died preserving the Union during the Civil War. While the name has changed, Harting stated its ideals and intentions have not. “It’s a day all Americans should take to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice of service to our country. Memorial day is a both a day of grief and celebration reflecting on the tragic loss of life and recounting on the courageousness of their service.”

He quoted Harry S. Truman’s address to the armed forces following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. During that speech, Truman noted the debt owned to the men and women in the service and how that debt could never be repaid. Harting quoted Truman as saying “They have earned our underlying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices because of these sacrifices. …”

Harting continued stating “The respect and admiration that we give our fallen pays tribute to the memory of their lives … we do so by visiting their grave sites and placing flags and wreaths and other mementoes at the memorials of our communities but their final resting place should not be the only space we gather, share memories or sit in quiet contemplation To truly honor their lives we must share their stories with others that ensure their memories live on even though they are gone.”

He also quoted  Union Major General John Logan who sated “Let no vandalism of greed or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided Republic.” He also quoted President Ronald Reagan’s remark on Memorial Day in 1982 that challenged Americans. “Earlier today with that music that we have heard that our national anthem, I can’t claim to know all the words of all the national anthems in the world but I don’t know of any other that end with a question and a challenge as ours does. Does the flag still wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave? That is what we must ask.”

He also quoted Oliver Wendell Homes Jr., a veteran of the Civil War. from a speech given in New Hampshire. Holmes elaborated on the meaning of Memorial Day. “To the indifferent who ask why Memorial Day is still kept, we may answer, it celebrates and solemnly reaffirm from year to year a national act of enthusiasm and faith it embodies in the most impressive form. Our belief to act in enthusiasm and faith is the condition of acting greatly.” Harting also quoted Holmes as stating “… but grief is not the end of all I seem to hear the funeral march becoming a eulogy. I see beyond the forest the moving banners of hidden columns. Our dead brothers still live for us and bid us think of life not death, of life to which in their youth they lived the passion of joy … As I listen the great chorus of life and joy begins again and amid the awful orchestra of seen and unseen powers and distance … trumpet sounds once more of a note of daring hope and will.”

Harting concluded that in Silver Lake a service is held at the cemetery to pay homage to the fallen of yesterday.

“As the days of the weekend pass on, let us not forget those who are buried here, those who fought to keep us the free nation that we so love. Help each of us to celebrate this Memorial Day. Let each of us thank God for each of the souls of the men and women who have given their lives that we might live free where peoples of other nations don’t have the freedom to live like we do.”

The morning service additionally included God’s All Community Chorus singing the star Spangled Banner, Salute to the Armed Services, America and Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Warsaw American Legion Post 49 Honor Guard presented the 21-gun salute and the playing of taps.