Silence and prayers mark Lansing's Memorial Day ceremonies at Evergreen, Mt. Hope cemeteries
LANSING — With prayer, song and a collective gratitude, the Lansing community gathered the afternoon of May 24 at Evergreen Cemetery's Little Arlington Veterans Memorial to honor fallen military members.
"We need to continue honoring the memories of those who are here and those who are gone," said Candelario Duarte Jr., a 52-year-old Lansing veteran of the United States Air Force.
The Memorial Day ceremony opened with a moment of silence as families, veterans and Lansing officials, including Mayor Andy Schor, reflected in front of the Little Arlington memorial.
U.S. flags futtered in the wind across the entire Evergreen Cemetery, and members of the American Legion stood behind each flag so they would not fall.
"I've been coming here for the past few years for these ceremonies," Duarte said. "It's pretty important for me to make sure we continue this honor and give them the respect they deserve."
Duarte lost friends in duty overseas and cherishes their memory. As he honored his fallen friends Saturday afternoon, he was particularly moved by the reading of the poem "Memorial Day," written by C. W. Johnson and the singing of the national anthem.
He has always appreciated the national anthem, Duarte added, because it unifies communities in recognizing those who made sacrifices of the mind, body and spirit.
The special musical performance was by Shelby Ann-Marie Miller, who sang the national anthem to open the event and "God Bless America" to close the event.
In addition to the songs and readings, the event honored special guest speaker Capt. Joshua LaCroix, who served in the U.S. Army for 13 years.
"Our soldiers are not just fighters, they are also responders, leaders, and ambassadors whether aiding in disaster relief, supporting public health or strengthening alliances abroad, the army remains a versatile and essential force," LaCroix said. "This Memorial Day, I ask of each and every one of us to reflect on our shared connection with those who came before us."
The ceremony closed with a retiring of the colors, a military tradition. The sound of trumpets, played by American Legions members, rang throughout the cemetery.
The city also hosted Memorial Day ceremonies at Mt. Hope Cemetery on May 24.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Veterans, officials honor fallen military members for Memorial Day in Lansing
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