Red, White, Blue wave over Winton Cemetery

Comrades and family members of those who died in battle placed red and white flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers at Winton Cemetery on Monday – red for the blood that was shed and white for peace.

Memorial Day, a day to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country, is observed with much commitment in several parts of Merced County.

Les Nickerson, 66, who serves as the junior vice commander at the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Winton, was in charge of carrying out this year’s ceremony at Winton Cemetery. He said it was a new challenge for him. Judge Brown, a life member of the VFW who usually organized the event, died last year.

But it’s important that the tradition in the Almond Avenue cemetery stay alive, Nickerson said. “We must honor them (fallen soldiers) the best way we can,” Nickerson said.

This year’s guest speaker was District 4 Supervisor Deidre Kelsey, who delivered a message on the significance of remembering soldiers who are gone and supporting those who currently serve. She said that while there will always be debate over which wars were just, there will always be support for the troops.

Paying tribute to those who serve in the military is a value Kelsey grew up with, she explained. Her father served in the Canadian armed forces, and her mother was part of the armed forces of the Netherlands. She also expressed pride that her son recently joined the U.S. Marine Corps.

Also part of the ceremony was the Ladies Auxiliary of Winton. Marie Gonzales, 71, president of the group, said that for her it is an honor to help commemorate those who have given their lives on land, air and sea, but also the men and women who served and made it back safely.

Gonzales’ father served in World War II, and her son is completing his 18th year in the Army. She also has a granddaughter serving in the Navy.

“It means a lot to me to be able to do this,” she said. “I think it’s important that we show our support and respect for our vets and current soldiers.”

Several families brought their young children. Joy Von Muller brought with her a Girl Scout troop from Atwater. The young girls were responsible for placing flowers and crosses on every tombstone before the ceremony.

Von Muller, 51, who works as a school crossing guard, said that to ensure that the message behind Memorial Day gets passed along to future generations, children must be exposed to events such as Monday’s. “Unfortunately, not many children know why we have the freedoms we do, or the reason behind this holiday,” Von Muller said.

William Lawson Jr., 43 of Atwater visited his father’s grave on Monday. His father served in the Air Force during Vietnam. Lawson said he used this Memorial Day to reflect on past and current wars, and to teach his children about why members of the military are honored on this day.

“We teach them that there are soldiers that put their lives on the line to protect our freedom – that’s what we try to get across to the kids.”

This story was originally published May 25, 2015 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Red, White, Blue wave over Winton Cemetery."