Families honor their veterans on Memorial Day

By: 
Patrick Fisher, pfisher@newpraguetimes.com

Kristian White takes a moment at the grave of his wife, Sara, at St. John’s the Evangelist Church’s cemetery. The two served in the Army and were retired when Sara died in a vehicle crash in 2021. (Patrick Fisher photo)

During the Memorial Day program Monday, May 29, at the New Prague Veterans Memorial, main speaker Col. Joe Sharkey talked about how Minnesotans have volunteered for the armed forces over the decades. At area cemeteries, family members took time to remember and honor those who served.

At Lanesburgh cemetery Monday morning, brothers Roger and Russ Meyer, both of New Prague, remembered their dad, Ivan G. Meyer, who is buried at the cemetery, southwest of New Prague. “My dad was a Korean veteran,” said Roger Meyer.

“My dad died young and I’ve been here every Memorial Day since then.”

Russ Meyer said their dad was 57 and was retired from the armed forces. “I also visit with those who come by every year for Memorial Day,” said Russ Meyer.

“I’m also here, out of respect for all veterans,” said Roger Meyer.

“It’s very necessary to remind everybody why we have a good life here in America, a lot of people sacrificed their lives for that,” said Russ Meyer.

Amy Slavik and her children, Otto, 10, and Alma, 7, were also at the cemetery, plus the other five area cemeteries the New Prague Veterans Honor Guard were visiting. Amy’s husband, Nick of the New Prague VFW, and New Prague American Legion Post 45 Chaplain George Tupy read the names of those veterans buried at each cemetery.

“I like the reading of names,” said Alma. “It’s pretty cool,” said Otto. “I like the 21-gun salute and finding shells after it.”

“I think it’s important for kids to know of their dad’s history and legacy. It’s why we come each year,” said Amy Slavik.

At St. John the Evangelist Church’s cemetery in Union Hill, Kristian White, Don Heuer and other family members were remembering White’s late wife, Sara White. She died in a vehicle crash in 2021. She had served in the Army for eight years.

“We went to Iraq together,” said Kristian White, adding they were both in the Army. He’s E5 retired. Sara was E6. They both served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“I woke this morning thinking of her singing to me,” said Kristin White. Heuer is a veteran of Vietnam and served in the Marine Corps. “We try to honor all service folks,” he said “This is a time when people remember loved ones and those who served and are no longer here.”

He said of Sara, “We keep her memory alive with today’s ceremonies.”

Main speaker

At the Memorial Day program, Col. Sharkey spoke how...

To see more on this story pick up the June 1, 2023 print edition of The New Prague Times. 

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