Commander of American Legion Post 820 Regis J. Dugan served as the master of ceremony for the Monroeville Memorial Day remembrance at Old Stone Church Cemetery on May 29.
Deacon Mike Kelly of Christ the Divine Shepherd Parish opened the ceremony with an invocation. Gateway High School student Jayla Chase sang the national anthem.
Anna Estes from Divine Mercy Academy read Gen. John Logan’s 1868 order calling for a national day of remembrance for Civil War dead, which served as the basis for what became Memorial Day. Lucy Estes, her sister, read Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg Address.
State Rep. Brandon Markosek, D-Monroeville, expressed his gratitude in a brief remark.
“I’d like to thank the folks currently serving us today as well as the veterans,” he said.
Mayor Nick Gresock said a few words on behalf of the municipality of Monroeville:
“We honor the members of the military that gave their lives. Let’s not forget the families of those who have died: the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives. Let’s continue to honor all of those individuals.
“We can do our part,” he continued. “We can be good neighbors. We can respect one another. We can live up to the standard that they fought for, and we can do it by never forgetting them.”
Dugan spoke about the responsibilities of a Gold Star American Legion Post.
“Being the commander of the only Gold Star post in Pennsylvania tells us that we need to take care of the gold star mothers and fathers that lost their sons and daughters in battle,” he said. “That’s why we are here today,” Dugan said.
Several veterans and officials — including Gresock, Markosek and Chief Jason Sonafelt of Monroeville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 — came forward to lay floral wreaths to commemorate those who died in service.
