Honoring the departed: Memorial Day events
Memorial Day will be commemorated at several locations throughout the Flathead Valley this weekend. The public is encouraged to attend ceremonies.
United Veterans of the Flathead Valley will conduct Memorial Day ceremonies around the valley on Monday, May 28.
The schedule follows:
n 10:30 a.m., Glacier Memorial Gardens, Kalispell.
n 11 a.m. to noon, Veterans Memorial, Depot Park, Kalispell.
n Noon, VFW Post 2252 luncheon.
n 1 p.m., Flag ceremony, C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, Kalispell.
n 2:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial, Marantette Park, Columbia Falls.
n 3 p.m., Woodlawn Cemetery, Columbia Falls.
n 3:30 p.m., Veterans Home Cemetery, Columbia Falls.
United Veterans of the Flathead Valley includes all of the veterans organizations in the valley. These include the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, and Marine Corps League and their auxiliaries, plus the National Guard.
The various units pay yearly dues to United Veterans. Any member of any unit may participate in United Veterans meetings and become a member of the volunteer Honor Guard that performs military honors for deceased veterans. Current membership is approximately 25.
United Veterans members also are asked to perform at flag-raising ceremonies, parades and other events. United Veterans is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and accepts donations for services performed.
Anyone interested in joining may contact Jim Heibert at 862-4182.
Fairview Cemetery’s annual traditional Memorial Day service will be held in the chapel at Fairview Cemetery on Monday, May 28. The cemetery is the oldest in Flathead County.
The public is invited to attend the observance that begins at 2 p.m. Kelly Hartman will be speaker and soloist. Flags will be placed on the graves of veterans with service dates back to the Civil War.
Refreshments will be served after the program.
The cemetery is located at 1225 Fairview Cemetery Road south of Columbia Falls.
Bigfork’s Memorial Day ceremony will be held at the Bigfork Community Cemetery at 11 a.m., Monday, May 28. The public is invited.
Participating organizations include the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4042 and their auxiliary, along with American Legion Post 86.
Guest speaker will be Michael J. Bennett Jr., department commander of Montana VFW.
The ceremony will honor Bigfork’s veterans who have served in every conflict since the Civil War. The pioneer history of Bigfork shows that veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom now are buried in Bigfork’s three cemeteries.
Bigfork Community Cemetery is located east of Bigfork on Swan River Road. Take Montana 83 south to the blinking light at the intersection of Swan River Road and Echo Lake Road.