VFW Post 3553 hosts well attended event
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service was scheduled to be held at the American Legion Post 487 in Chester, but due to a scheduling conflict, the event had to be moved, at the last minute, to the VFW Post 3553 in Chester. The event was well attended and a very patriotic ceremony was presented to a packed house.
The Memorial Day Service took place Monday May 25 at 11:00 a.m. The VFW Hall was beautifully decorated in red, white, and blue décor and Nora Ebers and Bobby Holley prepared a delicious luncheon for everyone in attendance following the service.
The Memorial Day Service was dedicated to the Fallen (veterans) that paid the ultimate price to serve and protect our great country. Memorial Day was originally called, “Decoration Day”. It was started as a day of remembrance for those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
General John A. Logan called for an event to honor fallen soldiers in 1868. Logan was the leader of the Grand Army of the Republic. By 1890 every state in the northern part of the country had adopted the event and observed it as a holiday to honor and remember soldiers who had died in the Civil War.
During World War I and World II, the holiday evolved into a generalized National Day of Remembrance. In 1971, Congress standardized the holiday and changed its title to “Memorial Day”. It is now observed on the last Monday of May each year.
The City of Chester has always held patriotic observances on Memorial Day. For many years, the event included a parade that terminated in Chester’s Evergreen Cemetery where the formal ceremony was held at the bandstand. As leaders of the service grew older and unable and/or unwilling to march in the parade, the parade was discontinued, and the service was moved indoors.
For the past many years, the event has been rotated between the American Legion Post 487 and the VFW Post 3553 in Chester. The inside locations offered air conditioning, comfort, and protection during foul weather, as well as seating, refreshments, and a beautiful atmosphere.
The 2026 ceremony began at 11:00 a.m. with a welcome from Paul McCormick, Commander at the American Legion Post 487. He also served as Master of Ceremonies for the duration of the service.
Steve Colonel and the Chester High School Band was on hand, as always, to perform music for the event. They performed the National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” to start the program. This was Mr. Colonel’s final appearance with the CHS Band due to the fact that he retired last week at the end of the Spring Semester at Chester High School.
Rev. Dr. Mike Fogerson of the First Baptist Church in Chester then gave a very moving Invocation. Fogerson has become a staple at most Patriotic Services the past several years.
Next on the program was Brian Childs, Commander of VFW Post 3553 in Chester. Childs spoke briefly regarding the purpose of Memorial Day and thanked everyone for attending the 2026 service.
Chester Mayor, Joe L. Eggemeyer, then addressed those in attendance. He thanked everyone for attending and praised the efforts of Steve Colonel and the Chester High School band, the VFW, and the American Legion for their dedication to making the service such a huge success. He finished with a brief tribute to those who gave their lives while serving in the military.
Next on the program was the traditional playing of the “Armed Forces Medley” by the CHS Band. This tune features the theme songs of all of the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. As each theme song was played, members or former members of those branches, Coast Guard, Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force, were asked to stand and be recognized. This tribute is always a highlight of the local Patriotic Ceremonies.
Guest Speaker for the day was Rev. John Mark Sedwick. He was a guest speaker at a previous Chester Patriotic Service and was well received again this year. Chaplin John Sedwick is the Command Chaplin at the United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He hails from Arlington, Virginia.
He first served his country by serving his community as a Fairfax County, VA Police Officer from 1983-1986. He then joined the United States Coast Guard where he participated in search and rescue missions.
Sedwick then attended Defense Information School at Fort Benjamin in Harrison, Indiana. He served as a Public Affairs Specialist in New Orleans. After four years of service he attended Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, VA., after which he served as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. He was deployed three times to the Persian Gulf to enforce U.S. Sanctions against Iraq and to protect merchant vessels in the Straits of Hormuz.
In the summer of 2000 Sedwick resigned his commission in the Coast Guard in order to attend Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN. He did so to become a Missouri Synod Lutheran Pastor. During that time he also served as an Army Reserve Chaplin. He was assigned as an Army Reserve Chaplin in Kuwait at a Military Police Battalion in Arifjan.
After returning from that assignment, he was accessioned for active duty service in the U.S. Army and served various assignments during the next 12 years.
Chaplin Sedwick gave a very moving presentation at the VFW Memorial Day Service based upon the true story of a Civil War Veteran named Joshua Chamberlin. His exciting story told of the extremely patriotic history of Chamberlin’s service as a Union Officer and how his service should be a great example of leadership and dedication to servicemen today.
Following Sedwick’s presentation, Commanders McCormick of the American Legion and Childs of the VFW conducted the annual “Roll Call of Our Local Departed Veterans”. This service named for remembrance, those local servicemen and women who died during the period of June 2025 to May 2026. Those veterans included Dennis Schnoeker, Earl Gibson, Roy Reese, Don McAdams, William Benefield, Jr., Wallace W. Valleroy, and Nathan Rogers.
Immediately after the naming of our Local Departed Veterans, the combined American Legion and VFW Firing Squad presented a moving “Salute to Our Departed Veterans” with a 21-gun Salute. Chester High School Trumpeter, Kendall Nanney then played, “TAPS” to end that portion of the Memorial Day Service.
Rev. Dr. Fogerson then formally ended the overall service with a heartfelt Benediction. Everyone in attendance was then invited to enjoy a delicious FREE luncheon of sloppy joes, beef hot dogs, chips and beverages. The 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service was deemed a huge success which was well attended and enjoyed by those in attendance.
Mayor Joe L. Eggemeyer addresses the crowd at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service. Jim Beers Photo
Steve Colonel and the Chester High School Band provided music for the Memorial Day Service in Chester. Jim Beers
Guest Speaker at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service was Rev. John Mark Sedwick. He is Command Chaplin, United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Jim Beers Photo
Brian Childs, Commander of the Chester VFW Post 3553, addresses the large crowd at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service Monday May 25 at the Chester VFW. Jim Beers Photo
The combined Firing Squad of the Chester American Legion Post 487 and the Chester VFW Post 3553 gives a 21-Gun Salute to our local Departed Veterans” at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service. Jim Beers Photo
Rev. Dr. Mike Fogerson of the First Baptist Church of Chester provided the Invocation and Benediction at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service. Jim Beers Photo
Kendal Nanney, a Chester High School Band Trumpeter, played “TAPS” at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service. Jim Beers Photo
Local veterans stand to attention and salute as their branch of the United States Theme Song was played by the CHS Band during the “Armed Forces Medley” at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service. Jim Beers Photo
A standing room only crowd at the 2026 Chester Memorial Day Service stands as Rev. Dr. Mike Fogerson gives the Benediction. to end the service. Jim Beers Photo