Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremonies, Decorations, Planned In Palos

PALOS, IL — Gathering to commemorate the war dead has been a Palos tradition since the Civil War. Memorial Day ceremonies and park decorations are planned for Monday, May 27, in Palos Hills, Palos Heights and Palos Park.

Palos Heights

Join Orland-Palos VFW Post 2604 for a Memorial Day remembrance ceremony at 11 a.m. at Palos Heights City Hall, 7607 W. College Drive. The ceremony will feature remarks by Mayor Robert Straz and post member Scott Kelly.

Marine veteran Jeremy Eckert will be the featured guest speaker. Eckert will be speaking in honor of fellow Marine, Sgt. Nicolas Hutto, 28, who died six weeks ago changing a tire on I-55. Hutto was Eckert’s best friend, both of whom served together in the Middle East. Eckert will be speaking in honor of Hutto, who gave last year’s Memorial Day speech. Hutto was engaged to a Palos Heights woman and lived in Tinley Park.

The Daughters of the American Revolution will give a presentation. Stella Maras will sing the “Star Spangled Banner” and a tribute to fallen comrades.

Palos Hills

Ald. Mike Lebarre (3rd Ward), is leading efforts to hang flags, banners and other handmade items at Volunteer Park, 99th Street and 88th Avenue. There will also be a remembrance board where residents can sign their names or pen a note of thanks to a family member that served or veterans in general. The display will be up May 27 through June 3.

Palos Historical Society

The Palos Historical will hold its 100th Memorial Day ceremony starting at 10 a.m. at the historic Oak Hill Cemetery, 131st Street and 90th Avenue in Palos Park.

Oak Hill dates back to 1839 and includes the final resting places of the area’s earliest settlers, including veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II.
The cemetery is also home to an unknown Union soldier from the Civil War. When a local family paid $100 to have their son’s body shipped home from the warfront, it was the wrong body. The family buried the man anyway.

In 2002, Palos Park VFW Post 4861 dedicated a proper monument to the unknown Civil War soldier “in remembrance of all the known and unknown Civil War soldiers buried here.”

Monday’s Memorial Day at observance at Oak Hill will honor Palos-area scouts, who were part of the first ceremony in 1924. The Swallow Cliff Chapter of the Illinois Daughters of the American Revolution will lay a wreath on the grave of the unknown Union soldier.

NOTE: Visitors will unable to enter Oak Hill from 131st Street from Southwest Highway which is closed for contracution. As an alternative, take 135th Street to 88th Avenue; proceed west on 131st Street to the cemetery entrance.

Village of Palos Park

Residents are invited to a Memorial Day remembrance ceremony starting at noon Monday, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial on the village green, 8902 W. 123rd St.

A color guard, Eagle Scout recognition, invocation and Arlene Adams singing “God Bless America" are planned.

Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters will read the names on the tribute bricks added to the Blue Star Memorial on the village green. Ten new names have been added. The memorial was recently newly refurbished by a local scout as part of an Eagle Scout project.

New signage has also been added at the Kaptur Administration Center, where there is new signage directing residents where to properly dispose of worn and torn American flags.