Tioga County’s fallen remembered 

The Court Street Bridge and Tioga County Veterans Memorial Park in Owego were adorned with red, white and blue flags and wreaths, as guests gathered for the annual parade and remembrance ceremony on Memorial Day.

The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. on Monday and followed a route through the Village to the Memorial Park. Veterans and school groups, the OFA Parade Band, local government officials, police, fire department and first responders, as well as two antique fire trucks, among others, took part in the parade. John Loftus was parade organizer.

Deceased veterans buried in Tioga County cemeteries were remembered at an annual Roll Call prior to the ceremony. Lew Sauerbrey read the names of deceased veterans who have passed away since Memorial Day last year, and also read the names of Tioga County’s fallen, and whose names are inscribed on the memorials.  

Owego Elementary students presented flags to V.F.W. Post 1371 member George Carrigan, who in turn placed them in a remembrance basket. Each flag represented a fallen Tioga County hero, such as Army Pfc. Gary Faucett, the County’s first fallen hero of the Vietnam War.  

Jim Raftis, Sr., Memorial Day Chairman, remarked, “Because of these fallen heroes, we are here today,” and added, “The real meaning of Memorial Day is to remember the sacrifices of men and women who died in service to the nation,” and further called to remember Prisoners Of War and those Missing In Action.

The OFA Parade Band performed the National Anthem along with a patriotic medley of Armed Services tunes during the ceremony.

Rev. Carolyn Gillette of the First Presbyterian Union Church (FPUC) of Owego delivered the invocation, and shared, in part, “For the freedoms we enjoy here, we pause to give thanks to women and men who have given their lives in service to our country. We pray that we may honor their memory by building a better world where everyone feels safe and welcome.”

A round of applause was extended to Rev. Carolyn Gillette after Raftis announced that she is the first female pastor to deliver the invocation on Memorial Day in Owego.

Town of Owego Historian Peter Gordon, author of a book about Evergreen Cemetery, shared several snippets of history about veterans buried in the cemetery’s GAR section. He also read a heartfelt letter from a mother to her son who served during the Civil War. 

One veteran Gordon highlighted was Simon Winow, who served in the 20th Regiment of the Colored Infantry. Winow was a self-employed barber who operated the “Erie Barber Shop” on Erie Street.  

Another individual mentioned was Moses Darkus, a former slave who served in the 22nd Colored Infantry, and who relocated to Owego after the war. His unit saw action at Richmond, participated in President Lincoln’s funeral, and also searched for conspirators of John Wilkes Booth. 

Gold Star mother Barbara Bilbrey, whose son, SPC Charles E. Bilbrey, Jr. lost his life while serving our country in Iraq, thanked those in attendance for, “Making it a priority to bring your children here today, and by doing that you have told them that this is important.”

Also recognized at the ceremony was DAR member, Karen Messersmith, who placed a wreath at the Tioga County Civil War monument, along with Netherlands resident Erwin Flohr who annually travels to six graves of Tioga County fallen heroes at American military cemeteries abroad.

Michael Bartlow, OAMS social studies teacher whose students have interviewed veterans for an ongoing project; Gordie Ichikawa, who provides sound systems at numerous events; and Tom Simons, whose attention to flag detail ensures that flags are distributed to cemeteries; were acknowledged at the ceremony.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Rev. Bruce Gillette of the FPUC delivered the benediction.  U.S. Navy fallen heroes were honored by a wreath thrown upon the Susquehanna River, and the V.F.W. Post 1371 Honor Guard performed a rifle salute prior to Steve Palinosky’s bugle rendition of “Taps.”