Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Owego and Tioga County remembers 170 fallen heroes and POW/MIA’s from WWI to Afghanistan as well as many from the Civil War and Revolutionary War. Not forgotten are the 5,000 veterans resting under an American flag in over 100 Tioga County cemeteries.
The Owego Veterans Memorial Committee invites our community to observe Memorial Day.
The reading of honored names of veterans buried in Tioga County cemeteries will be done from 8 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial by patriotic volunteers Mary Beth Jones, editor and publisher of the Tioga County Courier and JoAnn Walter, a trustee with Riverside Cemetery in Apalachin and writer/reporter for the Owego Pennysaver.
Two St. Patrick’s and Blessed Sacrament priests celebrate Memorial Day Masses at 9 a.m. in two cemeteries – Father Brian Carpenter in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in the Town of Tioga and Father Vincent Langan in St. James Cemetery in Waverly.
Owego’s Memorial Day downtown parade begins at 10:30 a.m., and honors all men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country. Veterans are invited to be part of the parade and walk or ride the five streets in honor of their comrades from their generation who made the supreme sacrifice.
The parade forms from 10 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. on Temple Street, Owego, between Owego Police Station and First Presbyterian Union Church and behind John’s Fine Foods and near Central Fire Station.
The parade steps off from Temple Street at 10:30 a.m., proceeds south on North Avenue, east on Main Street, south on Paige Street, west on Front Street (past American Legion, Elks, River Row) to the south lawn of the Tioga County Courthouse.
A Memorial Day service will take place at the Courthouse Square, and in front of the Veteran’s Memorial following the parade.
For more details, contact Owego VFW Post 1371 Memorial Day Chairman Jim Raftis at 687-4229 or email to jraftis2@stny.rr.com. You can also contact Bill Chandler at 222-6357 or find him on Facebook.
