Renton residents and veterans will mark Memorial Day on Monday with special services honoring the nation’s service men and women at Liberty Park, Mount Olivet Cemetery, Greenwood Memorial Park and Tahoma National Cemetery in Maple Valley.
Then, on Wednesday at the Renton Senior Activity Center, veterans, city officials and others will join the Sunset View Garden Club in dedicating a Blue Star Memorial Marker, which started as a way to honor the men and women who served during World War II.
The marker was part of a banner that families displayed in their homes during the 1940s to signify that they had a loved one fighting in World War II. Today, the marker honors all veterans.
The marker is a program by the National Garden Clubs Inc., begun in 1945. The local sponsor is the Sunset View Garden Club of Renton.
MONDAY’S EVENTS
• Liberty Park/Mount Olivet Cemetery: Fred Hancock American Legion Post No. 19 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1263 will honor those who served in American armed forces starting at 9 a.m. at Liberty Park. The two posts will toss flowers into the Cedar River to honor those sailors killed in the line of duty. The memorials continue at Mount Olivet Cemetery, then conclude with the services at Greenwood Memorial Park on Northeast Fourth Street.
• Greenwood Memorial Park: The service starts at 11 a.m. and will feature speakers, presentation of the Colors, an invocation and other activities in honor of the nation’s service men and women.
• The Tahoma National Cemetery in Maple Valley will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony starting at noon.
Lloyd Lowen, a cemetery representative at Tahoma National Cemetery, said the ceremony will include music, a rifle salute, speeches and an opportunity to recognize America’s veterans.
The Bellevue Community Band will perform the day’s music, and singer Shari Furnstahl will provide a performance of the National Anthem.
Speakers will be Marine Lt. Col. James Spocks from Fort Lewis and Bill Jayne, cemetery development coordinator, from Washington, D.C.
Veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms, and the cemetery will decked out in Old Glories for the special day.
The service will run until approximately 1:30 p.m.
The cemetery is open daily from sunrise to sunset and is located at 18600 S.E. 240th St.
Tahoma has a memorial walkway containing 23 memorials that commemorate soldiers of various 20th century wars, donated by various service organizations. The cemetery also has a Blue Star Memorial north of the Public Information Center.
For more information, call Tahoma National Cemetery at 425-413-9614.
<WEDNESDAY'S EVENT
• The Blue Star Memorial Marker dedication is 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Ave. N. The markers are dedicated each year on highways, veterans’ facilities, national cemeteries, parks and civic and historic sites to show appreciation to those who have served the nation.
Dignitaries who will attend include Mayor Denis Law, Marva Lee Peterschick, president of the Washington State Garden Club and members of the Renton City Council. Jim Woods will give an invocation.
The marker was made possible by a grant from the City of Renton Neighborhood Program. The stone for the marker was donated by Marenakos Rock Center of Preston.
