The Snohomish County Central Memorial Committee marked its 100th anniversary at the Memorial Day ceremony May 28 at Evergreen Cemetery in Everett.
Several hundred people attended the special ceremony, which featured a flyover by a B-25 from the Historic Flight Foundation, a keynote address by Naval Station Everett Commander Capt. Mark Lakamp, participation from local ROTC teens and Boy and Girl Scouts, and much more.
Posters of fallen military servicemen and women and myriad flags surrounded participants.
The Memorial Committee is made up of several local service and veterans groups, including the Everett Elks, Everett Emblem Club, Navy League and Fleet Reserve Association. Organizers included Bradford and Norma Rae Pilkenton, Don Tisdel and Corrine Williams. This was the last year for the Pilkentons, who spent 37 years with the group.
Norma Rae Pilkenton researched the history of the Memorial Committee, which dates to 1918, when a group of World War I veterans gathered several chaplains to mark Armistice Day (now Veterans Day), she wrote in the ceremony program. Initial gatherings were weeklong affairs with ball games, picnics and more.
In addition to Memorial Day, the Memorial Committee also organizes annual Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor remembrances, typically held at the eternal flame on the Snohomish County Courthouse campus.
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