Flag tradition carries on for Memorial Day
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Last updated 5/22/2020 at 4:56pm
Katie Teachout
Volunteers erected 186 large flags around the grounds and placed 327 small flags at the individual graves of deceased veterans at the Ritzville Memorial Cemetery Friday morning, May 22, in observance of Memorial Day.
RITZVILLE - Flags were put up to honor veterans in observance of Memorial Day starting at 10 a.m. Friday at the Ritzville Memorial Cemetery, in a volunteer effort led by Jeff Kissler of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Katie Teachout
Volunteers organized by Jeff Kissler take sections of the cemetery to locate veterans' graves for the placement of individual flags Friday morning. From left, Kissler, Bo Gingrich, Tom Balfe and Sarah Federer.
Kissler said Monday morning, the main flag at the cemetery will be flown at half-staff from 6 a.m. until noon, when the flag will be raised to full-staff until sunset, in accordance with the tradition of honoring the nation's battle heroes.
Kissler will play taps from a distance at the cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday.
The Ritzville Cemetery, located half a mile west of town on the Rosenoff Road, was founded in 1887. It acquired "Memorial" in it's name after the Great Depression, in honor of American Veterans.
The Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery, established in 1886, is located on Highway 261 north of Division Street and east of the golf course.
For more photos and story, see the May 27 issue of the Ritzville Adams County Journal.
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