Celebrate Memorial Day with services, parade historic tours

Here's a handful of options to celebrate Memorial Day on Whidbey Island this weekend.

• American Legion Post 141 in Bayview and the Veterans Resource Center will join forces to host a MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE at 11 a.m. Monday, May 28 at Bayview Cemetery, just off Highway 525 at Bayview and Howard roads.

Colors will be presented by the Marine Corps League color guard and the guest speaker will be Jeff Lauderdale.

A potluck will follow at noon at the American Legion, 14096 Highway 525, which will be immediately followed by a Remembrance Ceremony. Call 321-5696 or 331-8081 for information.

• A MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE at the Clinton Cemetery will begin at 11 a.m. Monday, May 28.

The guest speaker will be retired Navy Cmdr. Christopher R. Mannion. He currently serves as a staff education and training department head at Naval Hospital Oak Harbor on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. An Honor Guard will also be provided by NAS Whidbey. Boy Scout Troop 57 and the Daughters of the American Revolution will participate as well.

The cemetery is located next to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 6309 Wilson Place, Clinton.

• Central Whidbey Island historian and pioneer descendant Roger Sherman will lead a guided TOUR OF THE HISTORIC SUNNYSIDE PIONEER CEMETERY on Memorial Day, at 1 p.m. May 28.

While touring the beautiful old cemetery, Sherman will focus on the early history of Whidbey Island and will explain how various settlers and their families played a role in the development of the island. Sunnyside Cemetery is located on the north ridge of Ebey’s Prairie.

Passes to the Cemetery Heritage Tours cost $5 per person; proceeds benefit the operations of the Island County Historical Museum. Passes can be purchased at the Island County Museum, 908 NW Alexander St., Coupeville, or at the cemetery the day of the event, based on availability. For information, call 360-678-3310.

• Coupeville’s annual MEMORIAL DAY PARADE will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 26 with a flyover from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.

The parade will include commands from NAS Whidbey Island, color guard, Pearl Harbor and World War II survivors, veterans, marching bands, tractors, fire engines, antique cars, animals and more.

The parade route runs down Main Street and ends at Town Park. After the parade, there will be a short Remembrance Ceremony followed by a “Musical Salute to the Armed Services” concert in the park.

• Oak Harbor Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7392, along with American Legion Post 129 and the Fleet Reserve, will host TWO MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES Monday, May 28.

The first will take place at 10 a.m. at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Oak Harbor, with a second ceremony slated to begin at noon at Sunnyside Cemetery near Coupeville.

Capt. Susan Lichtenstein, commanding officer of Naval Hospital Oak Harbor, will be the guest speaker. Naval Air Station Oak Harbor will provide the color guard.