By Jordan Studer
CCN Reporter
BUCYRUS — Monday morning, many local events and ceremonies took place to show respect to our heroes, and among the communities hosting was Bucyrus.
The festivities in Bucyrus kicked off at 9:30 a.m. with a parade that began at Washington Square and ended at Oakwood Cemetery. The parade marshal was WWII and Korean War veteran Dr. Donald Wenner.
The parade concluded at the cemetery, and immediately following was a ceremony at the Lemert Memorial at 10 a.m.
During the ceremony, keynote speaker Dennis Teynor explained that in Oakwood Cemetery alone, there were more than 3,200 flags placed on the graves of veterans.
“Remember that all who have one of those flags on their final resting place gave some of who they are, just for you,” Teynor said.
Remembering, honoring and teaching the younger generations about the importance of freedom and the history of our country is something that Teynor and his wife Alice strive to do fervently.
On that day, amongst the crowd was Teynor’s wife, Alice, and their children and grandchildren.
When speaking with Dennis Teynor and Alice about what Memorial Day truly means to them, through tear-filled eyes, passionate responses were shared.
“It’s just to be thankful for what we have and to thank those who earned it for us… it’s everybody that serves,” Teynor said.
He shared that he had one particular uncle who served in WWII that suffered with PTSD for the remainder of his life. As Dennis Tenyor shared that story through a shaky voice, he explained that to him, Memorial Day is about every single individual that has served our country because they all, in some way, lost a part of themselves to give us freedom.
Teynor explained why it is so important for him to keep the history of our country alive.
“I was only in the service a short time. I was only in 62 days. And I do what I do to thank the people who paid that price,” Teynor said. “I can’t do enough to repay what they have done, I can’t.”
With Alice standing right by his side, she echoed his passion.
“For both of us, we give for our veterans all the time. It’s so important to us, and it’s important for us to teach the next generation, and the next one after that,” she said. “Keeping the message going that our freedom is not free.”
Despite the near 90-degree morning weather, another citizen of Bucyrus, Mark Cory, also honored our fallen heroes by wearing his Revolutionary War reenactment uniform and marched with the Honor Guard Am. Legion Post No. 181.
Cory explained that he wears his Revolutionary War uniform proudly, to honor the men and women who gave birth to this country. After the ceremony, Cory said he was headed to a cemetery in Sulphur Springs to conduct a brief ceremony to honor Revolutionary War Veteran Private Adam Link who is buried there.
“I just march so they don’t forget our war. Because our war gave birth to this country and we have had men and women willing to sacrifice themselves ever since 1775 in New England,” Cory stated.
Many other local citizens had a hand in making the ceremony in Oakwood Cemetery a special time to honor the veterans. The ceremony itself was hosted by the Bucyrus division of the Veterans Memorial Society. The master of ceremonies was David Robertson who began the ceremony. Invocation and benediction were led by Pastor Mike Corwin.
The National Anthem was played by the Bucyrus High School band, with the Bucyrus Middle School band later playing the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Bucyrus High School graduates Kade Slage and Samantha Murtiff also contributed to the ceremony with the reading of Gen. Logan’s General Order No. 11 and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, respectively. Another BHS graduate, Austin Edgington contributed his talents to the ceremony in the playing of taps with BHS senior Arli Hinkle playing echo.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, American Legion Post No. 181 hosted a Hog Roast, free for all honorably discharged and active duty veterans. Friends and family also were welcome to join for a freewill donation.
Although the festivities had to end, the flags placed on the graves of veterans and the flags displayed outside the houses and buildings of many will be an ever-present reminder that our freedom, is indeed not free.