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For our family Memorial Day has always meant more than a three-day weekend. The holiday used to be called Decoration Day and that’s what we still honor. We deocrate the graves of my father and father-in-law and pause to remember those who gave their lives in service to their country.
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Of the men I interviewed for this 2007 story, only two remain.
I’m forever grateful for being able to share their stories.
“We all lost friends at Pearl Harbor,” Daves said. “We don’t need Memorial Day. We remember our friends – every day.”
For those who have no graves to visit– who don’t have family members who served their country- please tell your children what this day really means and allow yourself to be grateful for those who paid the price for your three-day weekend.
Cindy Hval 
Hi Cindy, Though we do visit the graves of friends, our nearest family graves are across the nation, from here, so I, mostly, honor the occasion by performing patriotic songs on 5 different instruments and posting Facebook gestures to my fellow veterans. Phil