CLINTON — A crowd gathered in Woodlawn Cemetery on Monday, Memorial Day, to honor those people who died in the service of their country.

The color guard and rifle squad led off the ceremonies, which included members of American Legion Post 103, AmVets Post 14 and VFW Post 4168.  Marshal of the Day was Jesse Owens.

Travis Quinn, drummer, provided cadence.  Boy Scout Troop 142 members Ty Craig, Gavin Devore, Kyle Hendriex, Terry Hendriex, Reece Hooker, Conner Husted, Dennis Lux, James Moore, Robert Pakidis, Bailyn Richards, Maxell Schorn and Dylan Whalen also were part of the color guard.

Some 40 members of the Clinton High School band performed on Monday, including the National Anthem and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Pastor Scott Marsh, of Texas Christian Church and Maroa Christian Church, offered the invocation.  Marcia Wise performed the National Anthem.

Marjorie Devore, of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 103, paid tribute to the late Ernest Thorp, U.S. Army Air Corps veteran and former organizer of Memorial Day activities.

DAR Good Citizen of the Year and CHS class of 2017 Deborah Lindquist led the audience in The American’s Creed.  U.S. Navy veteran Carm Sartie read Order 11 of Gen. John A. Logan, the decree that established a remembrance day for fallen veterans following the Civil War.

The presentation of wreaths included the following:

• Grave of Edwin Gideon, first soldier buried in the plot / Davin Volker, U.S. Marine veteran

• Civil War / Ron Jones, U.S. Navy veteran

• Grand Army of the Republic / Jeanne Howard, member of the LIghthall family and in memory of the Duncan family

• Spanish-American War / Carm Sartie, Commander of American Legion Post 103

• World War I / Bob Bradd, U.S. Army veteran

• World War II / Ivan Stanwood, U.S. Navy veteran

• Korean War / Ron Devore, U.S. Army veteran and past Commander of American Legion Post 103

• Vietnam War / Clyde Leggett, U.S. Air Force veteran

• Persian Gulf War / Mike Bennett, U.S. Marine Corps veteran

• Iraq War / Tristan Woods, U.S. Coast Guard veteran

• Afghanistan War / Jessica Jones, U.S. Marine veteran

• American Legion Post 103 / Roger Cyrulik, U.S. Army veteran and past Commander of American Legion Post 103

• AmVets / Marc Rogers, U.S. Navy veteran and Commander of AmVets Post 14

• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) / Scott Swinford, U.S. Army veteran and Commander of VFW Post 4168

• POW & MIA / Jackie Dukes, U.S. Army veteran

• U.S. Submarine veterans / Gregory Lux, U.S. Navy veteran

• American Legion Auxiliary Unit 103 / Kathy Clayton, president

• VFW Auxiliary / Melissa Taylor, president

• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) / Carole Wylder, regent

• Children of the American Revolution (CAR) / Gavin and Vanessa Devore

• U.S. Daughters of 1812 / Carole Wylder

Steve and Jessica Devore assisted local children in the decoration of Civil War graves.  

Marjorie Devore read Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,” and Deborah Lindquist introduced the speaker of the day, Krystal Cicenas, U.S. Navy.  Cicenas is the wife of local photographer Ed Cicenas.

Krystal Cicenas spoke about the changing roles of women in military service in her address, “They Also Served.”

She spoke about the official admission of women in armed forces roles beginning in WWI through their introduction into combat roles in the 1990s up to today.

The Salute to the Dead firing squad concluded Monday’s observance.  A free meal for veterans and for others by donation was hosted by the Clinton American Legion.

See more photos on pages A9-10