Remember the Reason: Memorial Day 2022

The tradition of Memorial Day began after the Civil War in 1865 when it was originally called Decoration Day. It quickly turned into a community event where businesses would close for the day, people would decorate the graves of the fallen and recite prayers. In 1971, it became an official federal holiday and has been celebrated on the last Monday of May every year since then. This patriotic holiday is observed to honor the people who have died while serving in the U.S. Military in any branch or war. This year, Memorial Day is on Monday, May 30.

Linda Fichter is the organizer of the Memorial Day cemetery service in Shelby and is very passionate about remembering Veterans. “Every morning, for 365 days, I get up and look at the obituaries,” says Fichter. She keeps a record of all the obituaries of local Veterans and turns them in to the Shelby Museum of History. Fichter had both a father and husband that were Veterans, so the project is very near and dear to her. She organizes everything that happens at the cemetery service at the end of the parade including the speaker, the call to order, the 21-gun salute, and the minister who does the invocation and benediction.

Memorial Sunday is a part of the Shelby Memorial Day tradition that Fichter would like more community members to know about. The pastor that performs the invocation and benediction at the cemetery on Monday holds a special church service at their church on Sunday. This year, Mayor and

Pastor Steve Schag is holding a Memorial Sunday service at his church, Cavalry Baptist Church in Shelby. The American Legion Color Guard attends the service, reads the names of the Veterans that have passed away in the last year, and the church sings a patriotic song in remembrance.

Fichter wants to remind the community of Shelby that Memorial Day is not about the parades, the cookouts, the vacations, or the start of summer. She wants to remind everyone that Memorial Day is to honor and celebrate the deceased members of the U.S. Military that have served our country. This Monday, consider following the Shelby Memorial Day parade out to the Oakland Cemetery and taking the time to really remember the lives of the people who help make our country safe.