Dateline: May 31, 2001

County honors vets 

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The honored dead of Donley County and of the nation were remembered this past weekend as local residents held Memorial Day ceremonies.

Citizens Cemetery and Rowe Cemetery were decorated with American flags and Confederate flags where appropriate.

The first official service of the weekend was held Saturday morning in the Rowe Cemetery near Hedley by the Adamson/Lane Post of the American Legion.

An impressive Roll Call was held for 192 veterans buried at Rowe with surviving family members answering “Here” for departed loved ones. Legionnaire Jack Moreman said his post will make the Roll Call an annual tradition.

On Monday, a small crowd gathered at Citizens Cemetery as Girl Scouts posted the colors, and the Hedley Choir sang patriotic songs. A poem was read, and “Taps” was played.

Approximately 480 veterans are buried in Citizens Cemetery. Still others are buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery and the Jericho Cemetery

The crowd then moved to the Donley County War Memorial on the Courthouse Square for a brief ceremony by the VFW Post.

Following the services, attendees placed American flags beside the names of loved ones in the sidewalk of the memorial.