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A Country Celebrates Memorial Day

MemorialAdmin • May 26, 2016

 

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Memorial Holladay Cemetery Grounds

It’s Memorial Day weekend—for many people, the first holiday of the summer season. Families across the country will take the holiday as a chance to relax and spend time with one another. As we celebrate, let’s remember what the federal holiday is really about, and where it came from.

What is Memorial Day about?

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday where we have an opportunity to pay tribute to our loved ones who have passed on. It is a day of recognition of both life and death, a day when we mourn and celebrate. Many people take the opportunity to visit the gravesites of their family members and friends. Others use the day as a chance to celebrate national pride, and special thanks are given to our troops and veterans who have died in service of their country.

When did Memorial Day start?

The last Monday in May became Decoration Day right after the Civil War to recognize the many men who had fallen in battle. On the first Decoration Day, May 30, 1868, General James Garfield spoke at Arlington National Cemetery. After the speech, 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day. The day was officially made a federal holiday in 1971, and was dubbed “Memorial Day” with the Congressional Passage of the National Holiday Act. It is important to recognize that Memorial Day is different from Veterans Day in November, which recognizes all those who have served their country. Memorial Day honors those who have laid down their lives in the service of the United States.

What are some common Memorial Day traditions?

On the first Decoration Day in 1868, small American flags were placed on each grave in Arlington National Cemetery— a tradition followed at many national cemeteries today. In recent years, the custom has grown in many families to decorate the graves of all departed loved ones.

Since the year 2000, people across the United States hold a national moment of remembrance. At 3:00 pm local time on the last Monday in May, people across the U.S. observe a moment of silence to honor those who have died in the service of our country. Many local events and households play “taps,” prayers are uttered, and American flags are flown at half-mast to demonstrate a demeanor of mourning.

Another Memorial Day tradition is the wearing of poppies. In 1915, Moina Michael wrote this poem :

“We cherish too, the Poppy red poppy
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.”

Michael began selling poppies to her friends and co-workers to wear on Memorial Day to recognize those who died serving the country. This effort grew year by year, and eventually Michael sold the poppies to raise money for war-orphaned children and widowed women. Wearing poppies, laying them on graves and using them as decoration is still a prominent Memorial Day tradition.

However you choose to celebrate this Monday, take some time to reflect and appreciate the brave men and women who serve our country, especially those who have lost their lives in so doing.

John Allen Gilbert “Pop Pop”

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Austin David Westley

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Austin David Westley, 32 passed away peacefully at home surrounded by those he loved after a brutal fight with appendix cancer. His beautiful soul touched so many lives and we will all forever be changed having known him. The world became a brighter place when Austin was born to loving parents David and Janis Westley … Continued The post Austin David Westley appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

Grief Integration

By MemorialAdmin • September 21, 2022
  Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house Grief Counselor, Amanda Nelsen How can I get closure? This is a question I hear on a pretty regular basis. And I completely understand what is behind it – we want to be able to put the painful feelings of grief behind us. We want to be … Continued The post Grief Integration appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

Regret

By MemorialAdmin • June 30, 2022
Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house Grief Counselor, Amanda Nelsen The topic of regret has been on my mind recently. I often hear clients talk about the regrets they had after a loved one died – some become quite reflective on things they could have done differently or “better” while their loved one was … Continued The post Regret appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

Patrick Arthur Murphy

By MemorialAdmin • May 30, 2022
Our most beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend unexpectedly returned to his loving God on May 20, 2022.   Patrick Arthur Murphy was born on July 4, 1942 in Coronado, California. Pat was a twin to his brother, Pete, rounding out the four sons of John Tennyson Murphy and Mable Burnett Murphy. Pat spent … Continued The post Patrick Arthur Murphy appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

Navigating Grief During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic

By MemorialAdmin • March 30, 2022
    As a grief therapist, I have seen a lot of people grieving loved ones who died from Covid-19 over the past couple of years. A recent study has shown that people who have experienced the death of a loved one due to Covid-19, have increased mental health issues than a pre-pandemic death (Breen, … Continued The post Navigating Grief During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

An Update regarding COVID-19 and its impacts on funeral, burial, and memorial services

By MemorialAdmin • April 23, 2020
We are grateful your family has chosen to entrust your loved one into our care. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has required us to enact some adjustments to how we conduct arrangement conferences, viewings, funeral or memorial services, and other aspects of our processes. Our goal is to allow you and your family to spend as … Continued The post An Update regarding COVID-19 and its impacts on funeral, burial, and memorial services appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

Why is a funeral so important?

By MemorialAdmin • September 26, 2019
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Coping With A Terminal Illness

By MemorialAdmin • May 7, 2019
Many of us have seen a loved one struggle with a terminal diagnosis. It isn’t something we like to talk about, but many of us will also get our OWN terminal diagnosis.  Having a terminal diagnosis brings its own type of grief and decisions to be made. How do you grieve your own death before … Continued The post Coping With A Terminal Illness appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

Grief Resources for Children

By MemorialAdmin • January 3, 2019
Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house grief counselor, Amanda Nelsen: I am often asked for resources for young children who have lost someone close to them. Stories are often a good way to open up dialogue with children and illustrate death in a more concrete fashion. I compiled some of my favorites for easy … Continued The post Grief Resources for Children appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
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