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Heronimus in Memorial Day speech: 'Find a story and share it'

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By
Mavis Fodness

Memorial Day speaker Kent Heronimus, a retired airman, admits he had a hard time picking one speech topic for the Memorial Day ceremony at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne Monday.
He focused on the true meaning of the day.
“Memorial Day is not about the living,” the LHS Class of ’88 graduate said. “Memorial Day is about honoring, and mourning, the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces.”
He told the story of William Hart Pitsenberger, also an airman, who died fighting in the Vietnam War in 1966.
“Memorial Day is about sharing the stories of great Americans who died while supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States,” Heronimus said. “They can be stories of local folks.”
Those local stories are easy to find.
He encouraged everyone attending Monday’s service to visit the local war memorials and learn the stories of local service members.
Remembering those who fought for freedom should be done more than just once a year.
“Bottom line: find a story and share it,” he said. “Share it on Memorial Day, and share it on every occasion you can.”

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