Clinton County Municipal Court Judge David Henry delivers the Memorial Day Address at Lees Creek. Seated behind Judge Henry is Wayne Township Trustee Kevin Bean who served as Master of Ceremony.
Photos courtesy of Robert Grim
Members of Company C, 20th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR), the Military Department of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, helped lead the parade to the cemetery. Pictured (left to right) Joshua Cassio, Jordan Milburn (with blue flag), Jared Robinson, Irven R. Cassio, Kelly Hopkins, and unit commander Capt. Shane L. Milburn (right).
Photos courtesy of Robert Grim
The East Clinton High School Band provided patriotic music during the Memorial Day program.
Photos courtesy of Robert Grim
Members of the SVR firing a military salute are left to right: Capt. Shane L. Milburn (unit commander), Christopher S. Grim, Jordan Milburn, Jared Robinson, Irven R. Cassio, Joshua Cassio, and James L. Grim.
Photos courtesy of Robert Grim
The 100th-annual observance of Memorial Day in Lees Creek started at 1:15 p.m. Monday with a parade leaving from the Wayne Township Garage in Lees Creek to the cemetery about one-quarter mile away.
The parade was led by a Clinton County Sheriff’s cruiser followed by the speakers for the day, members of Henry Casey Camp 92 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), the East Clinton High School Band, fire trucks from the local fire district and community residents.
At the Lees Creek Cemetery, Wayne Township Trustee Kevin Bean served as master of ceremonies. Christopher Powers gave the invocation and benediction. Members of Henry Casey Camp 92 SUVCW posted the colors and the East Clinton High School Band played the National Anthem. FFA member Madison Frazer read the Gettysburg Address.
Clinton County Municipal Court Judge David Henry gave an interesting and inspiring Memorial Day address. He reviewed the origins of Memorial Day. He explained how following the Civil War, what started as Decoration Day with Civil War veterans decorating the graves of the Civil War soldiers on May 30 evolved into Memorial Day following World War II and the Korean War. He also explained the U. S. Congress not only changed the name from Decoration Day to Memorial Day but moved the date from May 30 to the last Monday in May.
Judge Henry emphasized the importance of honoring all our military veterans but noted we owe a special debt of gratitude to those who were willing to die to provide us with a free country and the many liberties we all enjoy.
Flowers were placed at the memorial for the unknown soldier, and Kevin Bean called the roll of all the veterans buried in the Lees Creek Cemetery. The East Clinton High School Band played the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and the Henry Casey Camp fired a military salute, followed by Taps. Christopher Powers closed the 100th Lees Creek Memorial Day ceremony with a benediction.
