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Ames Memorial Day service honors the fallen; Col. Reggie Richardson delivers keynote
Summary
The Ames Patriotic Council held a Memorial Day ceremony featuring presentations, wreaths and the reading of veterans’ names. Retired Colonel Reggie Richardson delivered the keynote, recalled Memorial Day history and honored six soldiers killed in a March attack in Kuwait, including a friend.
Tim Gartin, president of the Ames Patriotic Council, opened the Memorial Day ceremony in Ames on May 15 by asking veterans and elected officials to stand for recognition and framing the event around “our mutual pledge to each other.”
The annual program, held at the municipal cemetery and organized by the Ames Patriotic Council with music from the Ames Municipal Band, included the presentation of colors by the Des Moines Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, a wreath-laying with local veterans’ groups and readings by community members young and old.
"We mutually pledge to our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor," Gartin said, reading from the Declaration of Independence and urging the audience to remember that the nation’s founding commitment is to fellow citizens rather than a political party.
An invocation and benediction were offered by Roger Elliott, chaplain of the Ames Patriotic Council, who prayed for comfort for grieving families and guidance for elected officials.
Eleven-year-old Avary Jones, representing the American Legion Auxiliary Juniors, told attendees: "Lest we forget, Memorial Day is why I'm here today," and explained the poppy’s origin as a remembrance symbol that arose after World War I.
Jim DeHoet, accompanied by the Ames Municipal Band, led musical tributes including "God Bless America" and the national anthem.
The keynote speaker, retired U.S. Army Colonel Reggie Richardson — who serves as a commissioner on the Iowa Commission for Veterans Affairs — reviewed the origins of Decoration Day and Memorial Day and reflected on the obligations of citizens to honor those who died in service. Richardson also named recent casualties from current operations: "On the 1st of March ... six soldiers from the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command" were killed in a drone attack in Kuwait, and he said Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan was a friend whose loss was deeply felt.
"Memorial Day is a time to honor those Americans who have died while defending our country," Richardson said, urging attendees not to celebrate war but to honor the peace bought by sacrifice.
Following the keynote, Jan Schmidt and Judy Trumpy read the names of veterans interred between May 15, 2025 and May 15, 2026, spanning World War II veterans through more recent service eras. The American Legion Post 37 and Boy Scout Troop 157 conducted a salute to the dead, and Staff Sergeant Jonah Tibbets of the 103rd Sustainment Command performed taps.
Organizers closed by thanking volunteers, City of Ames staff and cemetery caretakers. A luncheon was announced at American Legion Post 37, 225 Main Street, and additional salutes were scheduled at Ontario Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. and Story Memorial Gardens at 1:15 p.m.
The ceremony emphasized remembrance across generations and community support for families of the fallen; organizers asked attendees to reflect on the service’s message and to carry the pledge of mutual responsibility into daily life.
