Memorial Day 2023 services in Hancock County

Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 29. Services at Garner, Klemme, Britt, Kanawha, Corwith and Goodell are as follows:

Garner

Services at Garner will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Central Park with the arrival of the Garner Ceremonial Unit. 

Gerald Edgar, VFW Commander Herman Robinson, and American Legion Commander John Tammen will welcome the audience.

Rev. David Skilling, pastor of United Presbyterian Church, will lead the opening and closing prayers.

GHV delegates to Boys State Julian Robinson and Samuel Dodd, and Girls State delegates Emma Goll, Anna Zrostlik and Kallie Atwell, will lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Attorney Phil Garland will give the Memorial Day address.

The VFW Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary and the Girl Scouts will provide floral tributes. Music will be provided by the GHV 7-8^thgrade band. 

Garner area veterans who passed away in the past year are: Egon Weaver, Navy (peace time); Robert (Bob) Baack, Marine Corp (Korea); Raymond Paca (Korea); Clayton Prestholt, Army (WWII); Gary Thorson, Army Reserve (peace time); Darrin Burress, Iowa National Guard (Desert Storm & Operation Iraq Freedom),); Leo Wellik, Army (Korea); Gregory Greiman, Air Force (Vietnam); John Schwichtenberg, Army Air Corps (WWII), Merrill (Ed) Anderson (Korea & Vietnam); Harlan Johnson, Marine Corps (WWII); Mark Boehnke, Air Force (peace time); Harold J. Blumer, Army (Vietnam). 

Auxiliary member: Doris Goll

The program concludes with the ceremonial 21-gun salute and Taps. In case of rain, the program will be held at the high school auditorium.

Klemme

Please join the Klemme American Legion Post 625 for the annual Memorial Day Service to be held at the Immanuel Reformed United Church of Christ, 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 29.

Perry Green, Vice Commander of the Iowa American Legion 8^thdistrict, will speak about the “American Legion Family.” Curt Stadtlander, Klemme Post 625 Chaplain, will give a presentation about the military experiences of Klemme veterans.

The program will include the reading of deceased veterans. Recently departed veterans are: John Schwichtenberg, Douglas Schoop, and Raymond Wille.

Music will be provided by the Belmond-Klemme Band and Choir.

Graveside services, starting at approximately 10:30 a.m. in Ell Township Cemetery, will follow.

The Legion asks for community help to assist in erecting the Ell Township Cemetery flags on Friday May 26, 1 p.m. with a rain date of Saturday May 27. Flags will be taken down on Tuesday, May 30, at 1 p.m.

Britt

Memorial Day services at Britt are hosted by the VFW Post 347, American Legion Post 315, and their Auxiliary organizations. The program will begin 10:30 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery. Rev. Anna Wolf, pastor of the First Lutheran Church, will give the invocation.

A patriotic reading will be given West Hancock student Jacob Larson.

American Legion Chaplain Gene Gunther will read the names of departed veterans:

Rev. Robert Dodge, pastor of the Britt United Methodist Church, will deliver the Memorial Day address.

Music will be provided by the West Hancock High School Band and Chorus.

The audience is encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. In case of rain the program will be at the high school.

Kanawha

Memorial Day program at Kanawha will be held at the Amsterdam Township Cemetery at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 29. American Legion Commander Dean VanDeWiele will be the Master of Ceremonies. Pastor Jason Semans will give the invocation and benediction.

The program includes the laying wreaths on graves of unknown soldiers. Readings will be given by David Smith (2023 Boys State delegate) and Nat Hill (a 1989 Boys State delegate). Patriotic songs will be sung by the audience. 

Since Memorial Day 2022, veterans added to the list of honored dead are: Carl Anderson (Gulf War) and Marvin L. Johnson (Vietnam War).

The program concludes with the ceremonial 21-gun salute and “Taps” by Kanawha Severson Post #77.

In case of inclement weather the program will be held at the fire station in Kanawha.

Goodell

Goodell American Legion Family Memorial Day Service will be held on May 29 at the Goodell Community Hall.  The service will start at 10:30 a.m. with Commander Perry Green giving the welcome.

Guest speaker this year will be retired Pastor Paddy Druhl. A special reading will be done by Ed Rohner and Brad Revland will sing Go Rest High On That Mountain. A 21-gun salute will be by the Goodell Post 420 and the American Legion Riders Post 183

Following the program, everyone is invited to go to Amsterdam Cemetery for the dedication of a headstone honoring Civil War veteran Joscephus Church. Church served with Company K in the Union Army.

Corwith

Memorial Day observance at Corwith will be held 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 29 at the Corwith Cemetery.

The annual alumni dinner will be served at 12 noon at the Corwith Community Center. For reservations, call Leona Welter at 515-583-2106 or 515-570-8292.