Memorial Day 2025 at Evergreen-Washelli

Vietnam Veteran and his grandchildren decorating headstones

Story and photos by Doug Cerretti

It was originally known as Decoration Day. The first official Decoration Day was May 30, 1868 where Ohio Representative James A Garfield, a former General and future president, addressed a crowd of 5000 gathered at Arlington National Cemetery. 

In part, Garfield said, “Thousands of soldiers are today turning aside in the march of life to visit the silent encampments of the dead comrades who once fought by their side.” 

After he spoke, the 5000 visitors made their way into the cemetery to decorate the tens of thousands of graves of Union Army soldiers with the American Flag. As time passed, the former Union states adopted resolutions to make Decoration Day a holiday in 1890. 

But after two World Wars, Memorial Day was the term in more common usage throughout all of the United States and became an official holiday in 1971. By then there were no more Civil War Veterans but Veterans of the United States.

Color Guard from Washington State National Guard

To many people Memorial Day is a day to celebrate as a holiday, as the unofficial start of summer and as a day of sales from merchants. However, for those who are Veterans and for the families and friends of Veterans, it is not a day to celebrate but a day for remembrance of those fallen warriors. Memorial Day falls on the last Monday of May.

Evergreen-Washelli held their 99th Memorial Day remembrance Monday May 26, 2025. At 10:00am over 200 volunteers “decorated” 6000 headstones at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery section with the Stars and Stripes. 

Northwest Junior Pipe Band

The Memorial Day ceremony began with the placement of the colors by the Color Guard escorted by the NW Junior Pipe Band. The keynote speaker was Chaplain (Major) Leon Buchanan. 

Chaplain (Major) Leon Buchanan
was the keynote speaker

Chaplain Buchanan was deployed to Iraq in 2004 as a Combat Engineer attached to the 1st Infantry Division, “Big Red 1.” He currently serves as the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Joint Base Lewis McChord. 

And at the end of the ceremony, taps were played.

It should be noted that Veterans Day is a day to celebrate all who have served in the US Armed Forces. 

Veterans Day is held on November 11 reflecting the end of hostilities in World War I, ” the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.