Latest News – May 26

Local Memorial Day Services Held Monday @ 1 p.m.

Tomorrow, May 27, Memorial Day Services will be held at 1 p.m. at the Lake County Veterans Memorial at Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville. A full program is planned including speakers Ray Ross, past State President for the Colorado Elks Association, Rep. Millie Hamner, and Phil Woodward, United States Marine Corps (retired). After the ceremony, lunch will be served at The Elks Lodge.  

In addition to these services, the names of the 42 veterans newly inscribed on the Veterans Memorial will be revealed.

The day will start with Second Annual Killed In Action Recognition Ride along Fallen Heroes Memorial Highway. Motorcyclists will ride from Silverthorne to Leadville, ending at the Lake County Veterans Memorial at Leadville’s Evergreen Cemetery.  The entry fee is $10 a bike with proceeds benefiting the Memorial.

Here’s a Video from the First Ride Last Year:
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Lake County Veterans Memorial Background

In 2007, Leadvillite Doug Cecil in cooperation with other local Veterans had organized incredible efforts to upgrade the Lake County Veterans Memorial at the Evergreen Cemetery. Then Brad and Rachele Palmer joined forces with their efforts, in memory of their son Nick, who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq in 2006.

Up to that time, the granite carved tributes focused on Edgar McWethy, a Leadville solider who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the Vietnam War and a memorial created by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars, listing all previous Lake County Veterans who had died in the line of duty.

Lake County Veterans Memorial at the Evergreen Cemetary

Since then, the local memorial has undergone a complete facelift. Today’s displays includes a stone wall the insignias from all branches of the armed forces as well as the POW and MIA factions. At the center of this tribute stands the traditional field cross: a statue comprised of a rifle, combat boots and helmet, symbolizing his sacrifice.

The newest addition to the Lake County Veterans Memorial was unveiled last Memorial Day: The Killed in Action Memorial.

Last Memorial Day, the latest addition to the memorial was revealed. The Killed in Action granite plaques were added to the tribute. These new additions contain the etchings of the 60 names of Lake County Veterans who have died in action since World War II. At this stage, the two double-sided panels finally brought the memorial up-to-date and now also honors the most recent heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty.

And now, families from Leadville, Lake County and across the United States can add the name of any veteran deceased or living to the south plaque. In fact tomorrow, the new names engraved on the plaque be revealed.

For more information or way that you can support the Lake County Veterans Memorial, call Brad and Rachele Palmer at 719-207-1380. 

If you haven’t been to a moving Memorial Day Service in a while, please consider attending the services at the Lake County Veterans Memorial. It’s a day you’re likely to remember . . . for a while. 

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