It will be day of tribute to the fallen, come Monday at these Kent-based locales:
• Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 S.E. 240th St.
The cemetery’s Memorial Day ceremony starts noon, with a full round of activities and greetings from two guest speakers.
Lloyd Lowen, a cemetery representative at Tahoma, 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, out of 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” located north of the Public Information Center. The marker was originally 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.
For more information, call Tahoma National Cemetery at 425-413-9614.
• Hillcrest Cemetery, 1005 Reiten Road
American Legion Post 15 will have a ceremony that starts 11 a.m. and runs to noon, with guest speakers, an honor guard and music.
Featured as speakers will be mayors Suzette Cooke (Kent) and Margaret Harto (Covington). Kent vocalist Caelan Creaser will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America. In addition the event will feature rifle, honor, and color guards, as well as a bell-ringing ceremony to acknowledge veterans who have died in the past year. Prior to the event, members of Girl Scout Troop 50810 will be putting flags on gravestones at the park.
For more information, call the cemetery at 253-852-1322.
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