Memorial Day

                                      Haven of Rest Cemetery Gig Harbor Washington

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend here in the United States of America. Every American remembers all those who fought and died in all the wars. Memorial Day began being celebrated after the end of World War 2. It did not become a federal holiday until 1967. Although many Americans take three days off the holiday celebration takes place on the last Monday of May.

Here in the state of Washington more people travel on the Friday before Memorial Day than any other day of the year. Many Washingtonians in the Seattle area travel over to the eastern part of the state. It is a tradition that many families have done for years. This year the temperatures will be in the eighties. It is the hottest Memorial Day Weekend in nineteen years. The normal temperatures here usually run in the upper 60s to middle 70s. Many people consider Memorial Day weekend the last holiday before the start of summer. Students from kindergarten through high school don’t get out for the summer for another two to three weeks. Here in Washington we don’t consider summer started until after July 4 Independence Day so a good holiday to celebrate on Memorial Day until July 4 and then there is Labor Day weekend at the end of August that most celebrate the end of summer.

Many of the cities and towns of Washington have celebrations throughout this weekend. Seattle has the Folk Life Festival which takes place at the city center near the Space Needle. There are several parks in Seattle where people spend time as well and can’t forget Pike Place Market.

Port Orchard which is fifteen miles from my hometown of Gig Harbor has the Kitsap County Harbor festival every year. Another small city Port Townsend where you can take the ferry over to Whidbey Island has a food festival. I can go on and on about what takes place in so many cities and towns in Washington State.

Gig Harbor has a celebration next weekend called Maritime Festival. It includes a parade through downtown and a time to send off the fishing fleet up to Alaska. This has been going on for about fifty years though the name was changed in 1980s.

All the cemeteries across the United States will have flags on all the plots. Many people visit them to see the veterans who fought and died in war along with the love ones. In Gig Harbor the primary cemetery is called Haven of Rest. It is located off highway 16 and looks down into Gig Harbor. My grandparents, father and brother Dick are all laid to rest there. Someday my mother and I will lay rest next to them. Of course I know many others who are there as well.

Memorial Day is a great holiday to remember our veterans and loved ones. A day that I enjoy every year and for those of you no matter where you are from I think of you and your loved ones that are here or gone now. God bless you!