Army veteran Brandon Weis of Aurora was excited Monday as he stood near the start of the city’s annual Memorial Day parade downtown which was just about to begin.
“I’m a third generation Army guy. My grandfather was a captain in World War II and retired a colonel, my dad was in ‘Nam, and next week we go down for my son’s Ranger graduation so now we have four generations,” Weis said.
“I feel like people here are in the right frame of mind,” he said about Memorial Day. “It’s not about the barbecues. And, on top of that, Aurora shows up for a parade and I believe they see it’s for the fallen.”
Aurora joined the nation Monday in remembrance of those who died in military service. The Memorial Day parade in the city had the theme, “Remembrance and Respect.” The grand marshal of the parade this year was Aurora native and World War II veteran Dick Miller, who will turn 98 this summer.
A total of over 50 units were scheduled to march in the parade including military groups, half a dozen school marching bands and “crowd pleasers like the South Shore Drill Team” along with the Lamplighters Barbershop Chorus, Costumers with a Cause, the Phillips Park Zoo, the Aurora Public Library’s Bookmobile, the East Aurora NJROTC, the West Aurora High School Cheer Team and the Simply Destinee Dance Team.
“This is the kickoff to the summer season as well as honoring those who have passed away, and here in Aurora we’ve learned how to merge both and really honor those who have sacrificed for the freedom that we have and being able to do things like summer festivities,” said Clayton Muhammad, chief communications and equity officer for the city of Aurora.
Muhammad said it was appropriate that Miller was selected as the grand marshal, calling him both “a wartime and community hero.”
“For us, having him as the grand marshal, it kind of merges the day and the occasion of honoring those who have passed and the celebration of the season,” he said. “Certainly, Mr. Miller personifies the best of both.”
Cloudy, overcast skies with cool temperatures greeted a crowd of thousands downtown for the event. City officials said that normally about 6,000 turn out for the parade.
Many friends and family members of those appearing in the parade showed up including Jennifer Rossolille of Aurora, who said she was a “West Aurora Blackhawk Marching Band mom.”
“I have a daughter who plays clarinet and she’ll be a senior next year. She’s been in this parade every year,” she said. “We were here even before she was in the band. We come every year. Marching bands are my favorite, and my husband likes to see the World War II vets and the cars.”
Rick Scalzo, scoutmaster for Aurora Boy Scout Troop 11, had his charges ready to help lead the parade on Monday.
“Being a part of this and getting youngsters indoctrinated to the traditions of Memorial Day and its importance, it’s absolutely great,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for these Scouts to understand their civic duty to the community and to everyone here in Aurora as well as to those who have fallen for the freedoms that we have.”
Jim Gibson of Aurora was driving a 1953 Aurora police car that he owns in the parade.
“I’m not with the police. I’m just a civilian and every once in a while, we bring this car out,” Gibson explained.
“I grew up in Aurora and moved away for 20 years and then moved back to the Midwest,” he said. “This is one of the reasons I came back to Aurora. It’s mid-America, it’s patriotism. We love our country, we love our city and the turnout as you can see is fantastic for a cool, cloudy day.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
