A ribbon of families lined Cumberland Avenue in Park Ridge, many waving small flags, stood ready and eager for candy and a show at that city’s annual Memorial Day Parade on May 25.
The city has been honoring the war dead for 103 years and while it’s turned into something of a celebration across small towns, initially the day was meant purely as a day to honor the dead and decorate or clean up the graves of the men who died in the Civil War.
American Legion Commander and Alderperson Joseph Steinfels recalled those somber origins in his address near the World War II memorial at the South Park Recreation Center. He noted the Civil War killed about two percent of the American population, both North and South.
“Everybody felt the pain,” Steinfels said. “Memorial Day started as the way the country could heal.”
Steinfels said modern warfare doesn’t have such a widespread impact into every community, but he said it’s important to take a day to remember the people who died in service.
“Today we celebrate those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, who answer the call and never came back,” he said.
Some in the parade still hold to that mission. Larry Smaha and Mike Roach were in the parade, driving Roach’s 1996 Mustang convertible (seen often in car meets throughout the summer, he said). On Memorial Day, the back of the car bore magnet signs honoring Vietnam Combat Veterans, and while Roach is a combat veteran, he said his car didn’t represent any organized group or organization—he just wants to remember the servicemen from Vietnam. Also, he said, he wants to get the word out about free burials for veterans, combat, and non-combat.
“Fort Sheridan National Cemetery is a beautiful cemetery out by the lakefront, and they offer free burial for veterans and their spouse,” Roach said.
Roach said it’s his third parade to ride in, and he just likes getting the word out because burials are expensive.
“They’ll give you everything,” he said. “It comes free. If you want full honors, you can request full honors.”
Park Ridge’s American Legion did host a grave remembrance ceremony two days earlier, on Saturday, but much of the Memorial Day in Park Ridge was spent among neighbors, catching up on the street corner, under spreading oak trees, on lawn chairs, with a cup of coffee and, for many, with kids.
Emily and Andrew Maratea were one such family, two years in Park Ridge, though Andrew grew up in the town and said he returned after moving to Chicago.
“(Park Ridge) has a sense of community,” he said. “We were living in the city, and everyone lived 45 minutes away from each other. It’s nice to just walk out and enjoy a parade with your neighbors.”
“We live two blocks away, and we look forward to it every year,” said Emily Maratea.
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
