05/24/2026
Following is a roundup of Memorial Day services scheduled in the Ford County Chronicle’s coverage area:
BUCKLEY AND THAWVILLE
The American Legion Byron A. Hickerson Post 432 of Buckley will hold Memorial Day services on Monday, May 25, at two area cemeteries. There will be a short service at 9:30 a.m. at the Lisk Cemetery in rural Thawville. At 10:30 a.m., a service honoring the area’s deceased veterans will be held at Woodland/St. John’s Cemetery in Buckley. At the 10:30 a.m. service, the featured speaker will be Buckley resident and Korean War veteran Wayne Wagner, past state commander of the American Legion. Immediately following the services, the American Legion Auxiliary of Buckley will be serving refreshments at the American Legion post in Buckley. In case of rain, the services will be held at the Legion post. In advance of Memorial Day, more than 130 flags will be put up on 20-foot poles at Woodland/St. John’s Cemetery.
CISSNA PARK
The Cissna Park American Legion Post 527 will present its annual Memorial Day services at 9 a.m. Monday, May 25, at the villge park. The keynote speaker is retired U.S. Air Force Capt. Aaron Hattabaugh. A veteran of Operation Senior Surprise during the Gulf War, Hattabaugh was a radar navigator/ weapons systems officer on the B-52 Stratofortress. Cissna Park American Legion Commander Cole Hasselbring will present the memorial wreath, followed by the Legion’s honor guard/drill team performing Memorial Day military services. Following the services, the honor guard/drill team will travel to the Rankin Cemetery to perform Memorial Day military services for Rankin’s Memorial Day services.
GIBSON CITY AND ELLIOTT
Gibson City’s Memorial Day parade kicks off at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25, from in front of the Gibson City-Melvin Sibley school district’s unit office building at 307 N. Sangamon Ave. Parade entries will begin lining up at 9:30 a.m. The parade — led by a Gibson City police car and featuring the local American Legion post’s honor guard and GCMS High School band — will then make its way south on Sangamon Avenue and continue to Drummer Township Cemetery in Gibson City for special memorial services around 10:30 a.m. at the veterans memorial. The guest speaker for the services will be Dr. Kevin Brucker. Also during the services, a pastor will give a blessing, the GCMS band will perform, and a GCMS student and the American Legion’s Steve Anderson will sing. Following the ceremonies in Gibson City, the Legion will travel to Elliott Cemetery for memorial services there, likely to begin around noon.
LODA
The Loda American Legion Post 503 is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony at 9 a.m. Monday, May 25, at Pine Ridge Cemetery near Loda’s north edge. A dedication of deceased veterans will be held, and the Post 503 color guard will be present. The honor roll will also be read of departed members of the military who were either buried at the cemetery or elsewhere but are from Loda Township. They will be listed by the wars they fought in. The oldest person on the list was a veteran of the War of 1812. The service should last about half an hour. The speaker will be Post Commander Ron Dudley.
MELVIN
A Memorial Day service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25, at the Melvin Cemetery. “Taps” will be played. There will be a roll call of the veterans buried there. The guest speaker will be Dr. Billy Bates. In the event of rain, the service will be held in the Melvin Community Hall.
PAXTON
Paxton American Legion Prairie Post 150 will hold a Memorial Day observance at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, at Glen Cemetery in Paxton. The observance will include a three-volley salute, the playing of taps, the firing of the cannon and the traditional musical tribute by Paxton-Buckley-Loda High school’s band. The featured speaker will be retired U.S. Marine Sgt. Timothy Hess, the former longtime director of Paxton Buckley-Loda High School’s band.
The observance will be preceded by a Memorial Day parade. Parade participants will line up at 10 a.m. at the former site of PBL Eastlawn School, 341 E. Center St. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. and travel to Glen Cemetery. The parade will be led by the American Legion color guard and will include the Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School marching band, local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and war re-enactors.
Ahead of Memorial Day, American Legion Prairie Post 150 is requesting volunteers to assist in placing flags on the graves of veterans buried at Glen Cemetery. Volunteers will meet in the cemetery’s gazebo at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 23. Flags and instructions will be provided. The Legion post is also requesting assistance with removing the flags at 5 p.m. Monday, May 25.
ROBERTS
The Wagner-Davis American Legion Post in Roberts will hold a Memorial Day observance at 9 a.m. Monday, May 25, at the Roberts Gym. The American Legion Auxiliary will provide refreshments following the service at the Roberts Gym.
SIBLEY
The Martin H. Suntken American Legion Post 244 of Sibley will hold Memorial Day services at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Sibley. The service will feature the Legion unit’s color guard and a message.
