Memorial Day, 2009

Memorial Day, 2014

John Koopman Jr. - WWII Vet
John Koopman Jr., disabled with polio as a child, defied all odds, joined the Army and fought for his country in the Pacific Theater.
He will be among the many vets we will be remembering this Memorial Day.

Read the tribute to John Koopman Jr. (pdf)
By John Koopman III

Memorial Day, 2012

Memorial Day, 2010

Click to view slideshow by Ken Hjulstrom

Bands

Marlborough Jr Ancient Fife & Drum Corp

RHAM Bands,  Ct Valley Field Music

Colchester Continental Fife & Drum Corps  

Speakers  

Selectman Riva Clark

Selectman Joe Labella
 Sen. Mary Ann Handley
Rep. Pam Sawyer

Iraq Vet Rich Schadtle

A Special Memorial Day

Every year I am asked by the American Legion to march and then speak at the Marlborough Memorial Day Parade gathering.  And each year, without hesitation I say yes.

For the past 18 years I have been touched by the solemnity of the observance, with the inclusion of a special prayer, the laying of the wreath by the monument, taps with the echo played by the trumpeters from RHAM, but none so moving as this year. In each of those years I have read ‘In Flander’s Field’ by Dr. John McCrae, in 1915 before the gathering of townspeople and friends.

The keynote speaker this year was a soldier, Richard Shadtle, who has served two tours of duty in Iraq and gave a very moving speech about what Memorial Day means to him.  After the ceremony, both he and his mother came over to speak to me for just a moment.  He told me how he remembered hearing me read this poem each year growing up in Marlborough on Memorial Day and that he carried the poem with him as he went of to war both times.

There are times when one is left without any words.  As the wife of a Vietnam Veteran, who served in combat, I was so deeply moved to have this young soldier tell me what this poem has meant to him.

I thank God for his safe return from harms way, and give a special prayer for those in the military who have given their lives for our country.

State Representative,
Pam Sawyer,
Serving the towns of Andover, Bolton, Hebron and Marlborough