The truck bay of the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department served as an auditorium for the Memorial Day observance in Sturgeon Bay Monday. A large crowd turned out for the ceremony which including the reading of the names of the county residents who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, from the Civil War to the present. Scott McFarlane, County Veterans Service Officer, served as master of ceremonies and praised the men and women who have served in the military in times of war and peace. The Reverend Darrick Kolterjahn, Pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay, provided the invocation and benediction. During the opening prayer Pastor Kolterjahn spoke about sacrifices; those made in the past, those being made today and those that will be made in the future. He said those who will follow the military path taken by others, will continue the tradition of sacrifice that has provided the freedom we all enjoy…
The keynote speaker was Vietnam veteran David Riva. Riva focused his remarks on the qualities of patriotism, teamwork and hard work that marked his early life growing up in the Chicago area. A hitch in Vietnam and the death of a buddy changed all that. Riva chronicled years of dealing with post traumatic stress disorder. His inability to cope, failed marriages, his instability and a life going nowhere. Eventually, through the help of the V.A., he turned his life around, obtained a college degree, ran highly successful companies, and became a part of his community. Riva told the assembled crowd that it wasn’t easy, but the qualities that had been instilled in him as a child; patriotism, faith, and team work had served him well. He said those qualities are found in the military in every era and should be protected by every generation. Following the rifle salute and the sounding of “taps” by Andy Anderson and Mary Nickel, the Memorial Day observance ended in Sturgeon Bay.
