Memorial Day Ceremony

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A Memorial Day ceremony was held at Greenwood Cemetery in recognition of local military service members and veterans who have recently passed away. 

Marine Corps Veteran and Event Coordinator Richard Bowers explained the efforts that are put into the ceremony, which pays tribute to the local men and women who have served in the armed forces so that all Americans can experience liberty.

“This group of people, we’ve been doing it for almost 50 years,” Bowers said. “And every year we get the funeral directors to send us the names of those deceased that went in from Muskingum County. And then I keep them in alphabetical order, take them out to Mudgett’s Monument, they come and put them on the wall. And then of course, you know the families can come at this ceremony and view them, you know. So it’s kind of neat, yeah.”

The ceremony featured music from the Zanesville High School band, a rifle salute and Taps performed by the VFW Color Guard, a memorial wreath placement by area military fraternal organizations and a speech given by active Marine Corps Member 1st Lieutenant Harvey Nguyen.  

“I think it’s important to recognize and reflect on all the sacrifices that our fallen have fought for,” Nguyen said. “We’re talking about young Americans who have stepped forward in the face of grave danger in far away places to defend freedoms we have here at home. And it’s important to recognize those sacrifices and to honor them.”

Decoration Day was established in the years following the Civil War to commemorate the soldiers who died in defense of their cause. The annual occasion was formally designated as a federal holiday in 1971 and renamed Memorial Day.