St. Joseph residents gather to honor fallen military personnel in Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) - Residents of St. Joseph gathered Monday to honor fallen military personnel at the City Hall Park in a Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony.
Hosted by the Joint Veterans Committee of the Greater Saint Joseph Area, the event featured a number of community leaders and speakers. St. Joseph City Council member Collin Clibon, a former military intelligence officer in the United States Army Reserve, spoke during the ceremony.
"While Independence Day celebrates the nation and its founding and Veterans Day honors all who have honorably served the nation in uniform, Memorial Day specifically commemorates the dead," Clibon said. "Those honored today are conspicuously, and by definition, missing from these proceedings. The weight of their absence brings solemnity to our ceremony today."
Director of Military and Veteran Services at Missouri Western, Gabbie Falletta, spoke during the wreath placement ceremony for the remembrance of fallen heroes.
"Their sacrifice is not forgotten, it lives on in the freedoms we enjoy and in the lives we lead," Falletta said.
Members of the St. Joseph Fire Department posted the colors of the Missouri and United States flags.
Other speakers include candidate for State Representative District 10, Paul Gatewood, and Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett.
"I think that it's great that they do that," Gatewood said about people spending their Memorial Day relaxing. "That's what (military personnel) fought for, the freedoms for people to go out and barbecue and boat and everything else. I just ask them to take a moment and reflect on all the people that sacrificed for us, to be able to gather like this."
Sheriff Puett said, "We owe an enormous, yet unpayable debt to those who gave a great personal cost to preserve this great nation and have made freedom possible to all of us. I pray almighty God continues to hold them in the palm of his hand. That he also gives his merciful blessings and protections to their families, who know and have suffered more than anyone. their sacrifice was the ultimate act of love for their country."
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 7:51 PM.