Bonita Springs holds Memorial Day ceremony; city announces WWII airman’s remains will return

Bonita Springs observed its Memorial Day ceremony on May 25 with a formal proclamation, prayers, wreath-laying and a guest address that emphasized remembrance and service. Councilman Nigel Folk read a proclamation declaring the day and announced that the remains of Tech Sergeant Charles Palmer Jr., a 19‑year‑old U.S. Army Air Forces airman killed in 1944, have been identified and will be returned to Southwest Florida next week.

Bobby Hunter, chairperson of the Bonita Springs Veterans Advisory Committee, opened the service and read a passage attributed to Ronald Reagan, saying, "Our first obligation to them and ourselves is plain enough" as part of remarks honoring those who "paid the ultimate price for our freedom." Dan Thompson, American Legion chaplain (Post 303), led the congregation in an opening prayer that asked for comfort for grieving families and urged attendees toward service.

Councilman Nigel Folk, who introduced the guest speaker and read the proclamation, said the POW/MIA accounting agency made a positive identification through DNA matching and that Tech Sergeant Charles Palmer Jr.'s remains will arrive at Southwest Florida Regional Airport on June 5 with full military honors. Folk said a public visitation will follow on June 6 at Shikani Funeral Home, and the funeral and interment with full military honors will occur on June 8 at the military cemetery, coinciding with the anniversary of D‑Day.

Guest speaker Ray Sandelli, a retired naval officer and member of the Bonita Springs Veterans Advisory Board, reflected on "time" and the personal cost of war. Sandelli recalled classmates and friends who were lost, urged attendees to "take a moment in time every day for quiet reflection," and said that honoring veterans requires both remembrance and teaching future generations about sacrifice. "These are the values our fallen heroes live by and die for," Sandelli said.

The ceremony also included an Isle of Flags display explained by Jan Parenting, wreath-laying by veterans' organizations, a three‑volley salute from the Lee County Honor Guard and taps presented by the Marine Corps League of Naples. Organizers thanked city staff Laura Taylor and Carissa Manali for coordinating the event and asked residents to pause for a moment of silence at noon.

The city proclamation cited Memorial Day’s origins in 1868 and linked the observance to the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. The announcement of Tech Sergeant Palmer Jr.'s return was presented as an example of the ongoing efforts by the POW/MIA accounting agency to bring home remains identified through forensic work.

The ceremony closed with a benediction and a musical tribute. The city invited the public to the visitation on June 6 at Shikani Funeral Home and the funeral and interment with honors on June 8; details were provided during the service.