Beneath waving American flags and clear morning skies, veterans, scouts, local leaders and residents gathered on the lawn of the Perry County Courthouse on May 26 to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States.
The annual Memorial Day observance in downtown Perryville featured patriotic music, prayers, remarks from local veterans organizations and a keynote address centered on remembrance, sacrifice and the responsibility of future generations to preserve the freedoms secured by fallen service members.
Master of ceremonies Brian Brickhaus opened the program, which began with the National Anthem performed by Lauren Meisner and an invocation from Rev. Thomas Handrick, former pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Handrick urged attendees to remember both the sacrifices of military members and the blessings of freedom.
“On this day we pause to remember the sacrifices made for freedom throughout the past centuries,” Handrick said during the opening prayer. “We do indeed owe a debt of gratitude to those who have paid dearly for the liberty we enjoy.”
Perryville Mayor Larry Riney reflected on the meaning of freedom and the generations of Americans who fought to preserve it, while also recognizing scouts attending the ceremony.
“I especially enjoy seeing the scouts and scout leaders because those young people will be leading our country in a very few years,” Riney said. “Join us today as we honor those whom the ultimate sacrifice has been paid for their country so that all of us can enjoy our freedom.”
Riney also traced America’s military history from the Revolutionary War to present-day conflicts, noting that service members for nearly 250 years have defended the nation’s ideals.
“For 250 years, patriots and service members have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we gathered here today and those across this great nation can continue to say, ‘One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,’” he said.
Representatives of several local veterans organizations also addressed the crowd, each emphasizing the importance of remembering fallen military members.
VFW Post 4282 Commander Eric Richardet described Memorial Day as “a day of remembrance” for sacrifices made by service members and their families.
“Freedom is what our military men and women have given us, and for that, I will always be thankful,” Richardet said.
VFW Auxiliary President Troy Zahner thanked veterans and spoke personally about the challenges military families face through deployments, noting her stepdaughter serves as a captain in the Air Force.
“We all know freedom is not free,” Zahner said. “We know firsthand about worrying about the soldiers and not knowing sometimes where they are and how they’re doing.”
Jerry Hotop, past commander of AmVets Post 94, encouraged attendees to remember the sacrifices of military men and women.
“Today is the day of remembrance for our men and women that gave you all of the sacrifice,” Hotop said. “So remember them.”
Though unable to attend because of illness, American Legion Post 133 Commander Crystal Schumer Brown provided written remarks read aloud during the ceremony. Brown urged attendees to view Memorial Day as more than a holiday weekend.
“Today is not about those who served and returned home,” Brown wrote. “It’s not about celebrations, sales or a long weekend. Today is about those who never got the chance to come home.”
American Legion Auxiliary President Carol Taylor tied the ceremony to the approaching 250th anniversary of the United States, describing the nation’s history as one built on sacrifice and resilience.
“The freedoms that we enjoy today were purchased with a price,” Taylor said. “That price was paid by the heroes that we are honoring this morning.”
Guest speaker Kate Martin, a U.S. Army veteran, delivered the address of the day, focusing on stories of sacrifice and hope while urging community members to preserve the values for which service members fought.
Martin reflected on Perry County veterans including Sgt. Thomas Luce, who died in Vietnam in 1968, and Seaman 2nd Class Melvin Walter of Perryville, who went missing in action in 1942 aboard the USS Grunion during World War II.
“The common threads of these stories and the story of America are sacrifice and hope,” Martin said. “As we honor our nation’s fallen, we must remember that they served because of hope. They hoped for a safer, better America and were willing to sacrifice their lives so those left behind and those yet to come would always feel that hope.”
Martin also challenged attendees to carry Memorial Day’s meaning beyond a single morning ceremony.
“Shouldn’t we also put the common good ahead of our own self-interests?” Martin asked. “Shouldn’t we also understand and protect the sacred constitutional rights granted to Americans?”
The ceremony concluded with a closing prayer from Handrick for those currently serving in the armed forces and announcements of additional Memorial Day observances at cemeteries and memorial sites throughout Perry County.
As attendees slowly departed the courthouse lawn, organizers reminded the community that Memorial Day remains not simply a celebration of service, but a solemn opportunity to remember those who never made it home.
