Hosting a Memorial Day service in downtown Richmond has a long history, and Mayor Tim Rix wants it to continue for years to come.
After being approached by members of James Coleman VFW Post 6802 in town, the Mayor agreed to plan and serve as Master of Ceremonies for the 2021 event on May 31.
“My father ran it for 50 years so I was always there. And it’s not that difficult for me compared to other things I’m doing right now, ”Rix smiled.
The mayor shared his plans for the event at a recent city council meeting, noting that there would be a small parade from Washington Street near the Good Old Days barn on Beebe Street at 10 a.m. The organizers invite the community to board their bikes or registered golf carts, patriotically decorated for a Memorial Day celebration, and take part in the parade.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. in Bailey Park on Washington Street and heads south on Main Street.
“This is not the tradition, but with COVID we felt we should do a shorter parade length. It will be a lot safer. We will go to our so-called Veterans Park, which is located between Maniacis Hall and the yoga shop right in the city’s municipal parking lot on Main Street, ”said Rix.
The city will close Main Street between Water Street and Monroe Streets for people to spread out. Rix said there will be a guest speaker for the ceremony and the Richmond VFW will provide a color guard and there are plans to invite the Richmond High School Band to perform as well.
“So we’re trying to stick to the tradition of remembering those who gave their lives on May 31st from 10am. Hopefully you can all get out,” said Rix.
I remember my father’s ministry
When contacted after the council meeting, Rix said he was excited to host the Memorial Day event as it was especially important to his late father, Leroy Rix.
Leroy Rix, a WWII Army veteran, had no chance of going overseas after contracting severe pneumonia after an over-enthusiastic drill sergeant forced his soldiers to stay outside in the rain and cold, said Tim Rix.
The experience took Leroy Rix to an army hospital for nine months, battling pneumonia that turned into rheumatic fever and a health problem that needed to be monitored for the rest of his life.
“My father was always aware of the fact that he was not serving like many others, so honoring her was very important to him,” said Rix. “He was the commander of the American Legion Post for many, many years and my uncle was the commander of the VFW, so every year they worked together to hold a Memorial Day ceremony together.”
Rix said his father only missed one Memorial Day event in 50 years and it was the year he had to drive his other son, Thomas Rix, to Indianapolis when he was shipped to Vietnam.
The ceremony is short and reserved
Bringing the Memorial Day ceremony back to town after it was canceled due to the coronavirus last year is a step in the right direction despite the ongoing pandemic, Rix said.
He noted that in May 2020, a very small group went to two local cemeteries and a park that has a WWII memorial to lay wreaths. The VFW color guard was there too, and a 21 pistol salute was being performed.
“It was a very private thing – it had to be because of COVID – but at least we did something,” said Rix.
This year’s plans will be scaled back and the location will allow social distancing for those who are worried about the crowds. The parade route has also been shortened considerably.
“It was a long way from high school to the cemetery, a really long way for a number of people, so this should work for everyone,” Rix said. “And landing in Veteran’s Park is appropriate too.”
Inviting the public to patriotically decorate their bikes was something the city encouraged on Memorial Day in the past. In his teens, Rix said the kids were all excited about “getting their bikes up to speed” to ride the parade route.
In fact, Memorial Day was the official opening day for the city’s Little League and after the ceremonies the teams went to the local park to play their first games, he said.
Everyone is invited to attend the event, but the organizers do not invite local politicians.
“We don’t need politicians for this, we have a day for them in September,” said Rix.
Once everyone has arrived at the park, Rix said that a short ceremony will include a speech by former pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Gerhardt Dorah.
“Pastor Dorah spoke on our Memorial Day 2019 and does an excellent job honoring those who gave their lives,” said Rix.
The speech is followed by a 21-shot salute and the playing of “taps”. In allusion to the pandemic, no refreshments will be served in the park this year.
Barb Pert Templeton is a freelance reporter. She can be contacted at [email protected].
