For the Hub City Times

Retired Marshfield firefighter John Zeidler lowers and raises the American flag during the city’s Memorial Day ceremony May 31 in the new Veterans Field of Honor at Hillside Cemetery. Zeidler is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and served three tours of duty in Vietnam between January of 1969 and September of 1972. HCT staff photo

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield observed Memorial Day on May 31, with a parade followed by a ceremony in the Veterans Field of Honor at Hillside Cemetery. The crowds were way down, despite sunny and dry conditions, with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 50s.

Retired Colonel Pat Lillis of Plover gave the keynote address. She was reminded of a poem from World War One.

In the poem, “They are saying to ‘Go on and fight for the enemy.’ But, they are also saying to ‘remember us.’ And, what I learned in that and what most people do not realize is that to that poem, there is a follow on. The poem is titled, ‘The Answer’ and it was written by a Lieutenant J. A. (Armstrong) who was actually from Wisconsin. And, in that poem, he says in one of the stanzas, ‘Sleep peacefully for all is well. Your flaming torch aloft we bear with burning heart and oath we swear to keep the faith, to fight it through. Sleep well; all is well,’” she stated.

“So today, those of you who are here are carrying that torch of remembering those who gave all.”

With no Memorial Day ceremony because of COVID concerns last year, Vietnam veteran and Marshfield Alderman Mike Feirer read the names of Marshfield servicemen and women who’ve died in the past two years. And the Marshfield Civic Band made its seasonal debut.