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Ceremonies to honor nation’s fallen

Parades Monday in IM, Norway

Santina Johnson, left, observes as Lori Massicotte, Sue Starr and Jim Starr, all of Iron Mountain, raise a new garrison flag Friday atop Pine Mountain at the Upper Peninsula Veterans Memorial. The flag was purchased in honor of fallen soldier Pfc. Ronald A. Michaud of Niagara, Wis., a Silver Star recipient who was killed in action in Vietnam on June 20, 1967. Johnson, a niece to Michaud, was present to honor her uncle. Theresa Proudfit/Daily News Photos

A number of area organizations and communities will have Memorial Day ceremonies Monday to recognize and honor the men and women of the U.S. military who died while serving their country.

IRON MOUNTAIN

“Red Poppy” is the theme of this year’s Iron Mountain Memorial Day program. This is the 100th anniversary of “the war to end all wars,” World War I. Since 1922, the poppy has symbolized the fallen soldiers.

The parade will assemble at 8:30 a.m. in front of The Daily News office at 215 E. Ludington St. They will march to the Dickinson County Courthouse, where the program will begin at 9 a.m. on the front lawn.

Michael Miller will serve as master of ceremonies and the Rev. James Brown will give the invocation.

Dennis Larson, left, and Dick Corrigan prepare mortar as Sue and Jim Starr of Iron Mountain place their father’s memorial bricks in place at the Upper Peninsula Veterans Memorial on top of Pine Mountain. Sue Starr’s father, Paul Erdmann, and Jim Starr’s father, Fred Starr, both served in World War II.

Featured speakers are Bobbie Samme and Allison Gregg.

The National Anthem and other musical selections will be provided by the Iron Mountain High School Band, under the direction of Craig Recla and the Kingsford High School Band, under the direction of Ben Sherk.

Local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Brownies will lead the “Pledge of Allegiance.”

Jeremy and Jaron Brown will also offer musical selections.

If raining, the program will be canceled.

The annual Memorial Day ceremony for Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center inpatients will be 10 a.m. in the outdoor pavilion behind the medical center. The ceremony will move indoors if weather conditions warrant.

BREITUNG TOWNSHIP

Kingsford Carpenter-Clash American Legion Post 363 services will begin at 10:15 a.m. at the Breitung Township Cemetery in Quinnesec.

Gary Chapman will be master of ceremonies and Keen Scott will be the invocation chaplain.

Scout Pack 510 will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Kingsford Sons of American Legion will do the flag presentation, followed by the veterans reading by Lewis Adams, Post 363 commander.

The Post 363 sergeant at arms will lead the POW and MIA salute.

Kingsford Middle School student Macy Edwards will be the student speaker and Ben Sherk, Kingsford High School Band director, the main speaker for the service.

Musical selections will be provided by the Kingsford High School band.

Gary Chapman also will give comments.

They will recognize deceased members of Post 363 — Zygmund Bronkowski, Dave Corlett, John Hanson and Douglas Gooding — who have died since the last Memorial Day.

After the main program, post members will go to Memorial Gardens and conduct a short program for the veterans buried there.

NORWAY

Memorial Day activities will begin with the raising of colors at 10:10 a.m. Assembly for the parade will be at 10:15 a.m. on Railroad Avenue, with the parade down Main Street stepping off at 10:30 a.m.

Services at the Norway Township Cemetery will start at 11 a.m.

Raising the flag will be presented by veterans Robert Clutter, American Legion; and Steve Campbell, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The Norway City Band will perform the National Anthem.

Terry Backlund will be master of ceremonies, VFW Chaplain George Olson will give the invocation, Holy Spirit School student Mackenzie Gilroy will read the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae and Robert Clutter will give the Memorial Day address.

Marie Devine will place wreath as a tribute to the unknown soldier and to all war dead. Olson and Wally Zychowski, Legion Chaplain, will also read a prayer for departed comrades.

Musical selections will be provided by the Norway City Band.

HERMANSVILLE-FAITHORN

The Floriano-Stecker-Kelly American Legion Post 340 will begin Memorial Day ceremonies at 5 a.m. by raising the flag to half-staff at the Riverside and Meyer Township cemeteries.

At 8 a.m., members of the Legion, Auxiliary, Vietnam Veterans of America, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts will meet at the post’s club rooms.

Services will be at 9 a.m. at the Riverside Cemetery in Faithorn, 9:30 a.m. at the Menominee River in Faithorn, 10:30 a.m. at Hermansville Lake, 10:45 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Marker and 11:15 a.m. at the Meyer Township Cemetery.

Post 340 will give the Memorial prayer.

Jalaine Bellmore will provide patriotic musical selections at both cemeteries.

Commander James Wash will give the introduction of the speaker.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Jones and Staff Sgt. Christian M. Norwood will give an address at both cemeteries.

There will be reading by Boy Scout Troop 578.

Bruce Andrews, Post 340, will conduct the roll call of deceased veterans.

Placing of the wreaths will be by Walter Bellmore, Post 340; Vietnam Veterans of America; Ladies Auxiliary Post 340; Cub Scout Pack 578; and Boy Scout Troop 578.

VVA Thomas St. Onge Chapter 571 will salute the dead. Dean Bellmore will play “Taps.”

Lunch will be served at the Legion’s club rooms by the Ladies Auxiliary.

CHANNING

Channing Legion Post 168 will begin services at 9 a.m. at the Channing Cemetery.

Gregg Harper will be the emcee and speaker for the program.

The North Dickinson High School Band and members of local church choirs will perform.

FELCH-FOSTER CITY

Felch-Breen VFW Post 4803 has organized services at three local cemeteries: 9 a.m. at the Ralph Cemetery, 10:15 a.m. at the Felch Cemetery and 11 a.m. at the Foster City Cemetery.

All members are asked to meet at 8 a.m. at the VFW building at Norway Lake. Area veterans are asked to participate in the programs.

The Rev. Joseph Basso of Felch Mountain Bible Chapel will be the featured speaker at all three locations.

The North Dickinson High School Band will provide music at the Felch and Foster City cemeteries.

The Post will serve refreshments and food after the final service.

BATES TOWNSHIP

Memorial Day services at the Bates Township Cemetery start at 8 a.m. with the flag-raising by members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3134 of Iron River. Barbara Stafford will be master of ceremonies.

Music will be provided by Jane Adams and George and Patsy Peterson, with invocation and benediction by the Rev. Kraig Tass, pastor of Iron River Bible Church.

Main speaker for the program will be Vietnam veteran David Gutowski.

Refreshments will be served immediately after the ceremony at the Township Hall.

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the hall.

BEECHWOOD

Ceremonies at Rosehill Cemetery in Beechwood will begin at 8 a.m. after the Amvets Post 436 color guard marches to the site.

Dorothy Javoroski will serve as master of ceremonies with the Rev. Mike Rucinski giving the invocation and benediction.

Air Force Major Frank “Jason” Jirik will be the guest speaker. Melina Lopez will give a patriotic readings, and Krista Gussert and Gary Friestrom will add musical selections. Trumpeter Curt Brendel will play the National Anthem as well as “Taps.”

Immediately after the program, everyone is invited to a social at Beechwood Hall.

CRYSTAL FALLS-AMASA

Ceremonies in Crystal Falls will be conducted by the East Side Veterans Council. Observance begins with a parade that will assemble at 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Logan Street and march at 9 a.m. to Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

Christopher Sholander will be master of ceremonies, with Jack Koivisto giving the invocation.

The Forest Park High School band will provide musical selections.

Main speaker will be Christy Gervais, trumpet artist and current member of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra and the 85th Army Band in Arlington Heights, Ill.

After the ceremony, participants will board buses to Amasa for the parade and program. En route, they will stop at the 82nd Airborne Division Memorial for a wreath ceremony.

In case of inclement weather, the parade will be canceled and the service moved to 9:30 a.m. in the Eddie Chambers Memorial Gym at Forest Park High School.

The Amasa parade starts downtown. Afterwards, buses take participants to Hematite Cemetery, where the service will be repeated.

IRON RIVER

Events begin at 9 a.m. with the firing of a volley at the old City Cemetery.

The West Side Veterans Council will lead a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial on Genesee Street.

A parade up Genesee Street will take place immediately after ceremonies at the memorial.

Program starts at 11 a.m. at Resthaven Cemetery in Iron River.Don Wolf of American Legion Post 17 will be master of ceremonies and also give the invocation and benediction.

The main speaker will be Darin Long, a retired U.S. Navy officer.

A combined unit of all veterans groups will lead the military honors.

Abby Miller and Erika Lindwall will sing patriotic selections at both locations.

After the ceremony, the program will be repeated at noon at the cemetery in Alvin, Wis.

STAMBAUGH

Memorial Day program starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Stambaugh Cemetery. Marie Brunswick will be master of ceremonies.

Kerry Rivard, will sing the National Anthem. Deacon Robert Kostka of St. Agnes/St. Cecelia Catholic Church, and member of Legion Post 21, will give the invocation and benediction. West Iron County students Rachel Tefft and Natalie Tomasoski will provide recitations.

This year’s guest speaker is retired Master Sgt. Gerald Williams, a lifelong Michigan resident and a 1982 graduate of West Iron County High School.

The program will conclude with the firing of the volley by the Reino Post 21 firing squad and playing of “Taps.”

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be at the Caspian-Gaastra Fire Department.

NIAGARA

The Niagara Cretton-Tutas American Legion Post 136 and Auxiliary Post 136-9 has planned its annual Memorial Day program for 2 p.m. in the veteran’s section of the Niagara Cemetery on Washington Avenue.

Featured speaker will be Michael LeQuia, with American Legion Chaplin Joe Zychowski as master of ceremonies.

The Niagara High School band, under the direction of Robert Lundquist, will perform and other student participants will include 2017 American Legion Good Citizen Award recipient Tristin Colenso, Miss Niagara Sarah Nawn and Miss Niagara-elect Maddie West.

Badger Boys State delegates Alex Hagerty, Benjamin Oratch and alternate Jared Linsmeyer, along with Badger Girls State delegates Sydney Hedmark, Maddie West and alternate Abby Provencher, also will participate in the program, as will Niagara 4-H members and the Niagara Boy Scouts.

The program will also include the traditional laying of the wreath ceremony and firing squad provided by the Pembine American Legion Post.

High school student Cole Carlson will play “Taps.”

Parade participants are to meet at 1:30 p.m. in the lower school parking lot on Washington Avenue adjacent to the cemetery entrance. The public is invited to participate in the procession.

All participants and the public are invited to attend a reception after the service at the Niagara Senior Center on Washington Avenue, where refreshments will be served.

In the event of inclement weather, the program will be in the Niagara High School theatre.

FLORENCE-

COMMONWEALTH

The American Legion Post 211 of Florence will have a program at 9 a.m. at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Florence, with a ceremony to follow at 11 a.m. at the Commonwealth Cemetery.

The Florence High School Band will play “Taps” and other musical selections. Members of the Florence Veterans of Foreign Wars will participate as well.

HOMESTEAD-AURORA

The annual Memorial Day Program will be 11 a.m. at Homestead-Aurora Cemetery, beginning with the entry of the rifle squad and color guard led by Wayne Thom. Mike Jones will lead the program with special music by Kevin Fraker and readings by Julia Brown and Margaret Olson.

The roll call of all local deceased veterans will be given by Jon Olson, with “Taps” by Paul Osterberg.

Everyone is reminded to bring a lawn chair and a hand-held flag if possible. The Aurora Free Church will provide refreshments.

In case of rain, the program will be in the Aurora Free Church.

TIPLER-LONG LAKE

Florence Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3635 will have Memorial Day services at 10 a.m. at the Martin Cemetery in Tipler, Wis., and at 10:45 a.m. at Long Lake Cemetery.

PEMBINE-DUNBAR

American Legion Post 461 of Pembine will conduct services at 10:30 a.m. at the Pembine Cemetery. Legion members then will travel to the Dunbar Cemetery for services.

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