Pueblo, the Home of Heroes, hosts several events each Memorial Day to honor the brave men and women who’ve died serving in the U.S. military.
The federal holiday — which was originally known as Decoration Day and originated in the years following the Civil War — is a nationwide day of remembrance that’s often observed by Americans visiting cemeteries or memorials, participating in parades and hosting family gatherings.
In Pueblo, hundreds of people attend Memorial Day services and celebrations each year to honor the more than 1 million men and women who’ve died in military service since the Civil War began in 1861.
Here are some of the local events that will honor departed service members on Monday:
Memorial Day Mass, Roselawn Cemetery, 1706 Roselawn Road
Pueblo Diocese Bishop Stephen Berg will hold a Memorial Day mass at Roselawn Cemetery on Monday. The service begins at 10 a.m. in front of the Bishop’s Mausoleum. It is free and open to the public. Seating will be provided but those who wish to bring their own lawn chairs are welcome to do so.
The mass and music will be under the direction of Deacon Dan Leetch of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Following mass, a procession will walk approximately two blocks to Roselawn’s Veteran’s Section for a blessing of graves and a short ceremony commemorating the lives of those who have served the United States.
More: On Memorial Day, take a journey of life through death at Roselawn Cemetery
Pueblo Veterans Council Memorial Day observance, Veterans Bridge, Historic Arkansas Riverwalk, 130 Central Main St.
The largest Memorial Day gathering in the Home of Heroes, the Pueblo Veterans Council’s annual event will return to Veterans Bridge on the Riverwalk. The event, which starts at 11 a.m., will feature guest speakers, a recognition of Blue Star families — the immediate families of active-duty service members, a wreath presentation and a flyover by CAE, formerly Doss Aviation.
Keynote speakers at this year’s event include Al Duran, a Korean War veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Herman Arellano, who served in Vietnam in the U.S. Army, former 10th Judicial District Judge Victor Reyes, and Paul Hendrickson, an Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who will discuss the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Tenth Judicial District Attorney Jeff Chostner, an Air Force veteran, will deliver closing remarks and a performance of “Taps” will honor retired USAF Master Sergeant Al Eberhardt, who passed away in February. Refreshments will be served at the nearby Center for American Values.
Butch Chavez Memorial Day Event, Imperial Memorial Gardens Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery, 5450 Colorado Highway 78
Veterans Overcoming Obstacles & Imperial Memorial Gardens are hosting the Butch Chavez Memorial Day Event, which combines “heroes, motorcycles and patriots” in an event geared toward exercise.
Named for Butch Chavez, a local veteran, veterans advocate and founder of the Pueblo POW/MIA Memorial who died in February, the event serves as a fundraiser for two of Chavez’s “great loves” — the Pueblo Veterans Bridge/POW Memorial and Veterans Overcoming Obstacles, a Pueblo West nonprofit organization that helps veterans fight PTSD and seeks to prevent veteran suicide through health and fitness.
It will begin with a roar of motorcycles leading the group of 5K ruckers (participants who walk with a weighted rucksack), runners and walkers. At the conclusion of the 5K, there will be a “fun but challenging workout,” event organizers say. The entire event is designed for participants of all ages and levels of fitness.
Day-of registration — which will cost $22 for both bikes and ruckers, runners and walkers — starts at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K begins at 8:30 a.m. A speech will be given at 10 a.m. and the event will conclude at 10:30 a.m. For more information and to register ahead of time, visit facebook.com/veteransovercomingobstacles.
Pueblo Pioneer Cemetery Memorial Day Service, 901-1099 Masonic Cemetery Road
Pueblo’s oldest cemetery will host its annual Memorial Day service at 8:30 a.m. Monday. The event will feature a flag-raising ceremony for the United States and Colorado state flags, patriotic music, the singing of the national anthem and a 21-gun salute performed by the Pueblo Veterans Ritual Team. Refreshments will be served.
The Pioneer Cemetery has hosted a Memorial Day service since 1984 and has only failed to host an in-person event once, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s just to remember the people buried there, the founding fathers of Pueblo,” said Joe Talbott, president of the Pueblo Pioneer Cemetery Association. “We just want the people buried there to know that someone cares.”
Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Four ways to celebrate Memorial Day in Pueblo, the Home of Heroes
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