Arianna McClelland plays “Taps” at Brookfield’s Memorial Day observance. Her band director, Elza Wright, is at right. Photo by Joe Pinchot/NEWS On the Green
By Scout Nicholson
for NEWS On the Green
“I don’t think there’s a day that’s more important in our country than Memorial Day,” Brookfield Trustee Dan Suttles said at Brookfield’s May 25 Memorial Day observance.
“What Memorial Day is, it’s honoring those who gave their life for our country,” said Suttles, an Air Force veteran. “We should never forget to honor those folks.”
The observance began with a procession through Brookfield Center, led by four veterans. The Brookfield High School Marching Band, community groups and Brookfield first responders and elected officials also participated. The procession ended at Brookfield Township Cemetery for a program.
Organized by the Brookfield Rotary Club, the commemorative event was moderated by club President Amy Zell. Township trustees Mark Ferrara and Shannon Devitz read the names of local veterans whose lives were lost in the past year. Thirty-one veterans were recognized, their service spanning from World War II to the Vietnam War.
While the BHS Marching Band performed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” veterans raised the flag to half-staff. Brookfield High School trumpet players performed “Taps” and “Echo Taps.” The Brookfield Township Volunteer Ladies Auxiliary laid flowers at the memorial stone and the Brookfield Township Police Department Honor Guard fired a salute.
Jason Bower. Photo by Joe Pinchot/NEWS On the Green.
Jason Bower, a 2011 graduate of BHS and a Navy veteran – he served eight years as a corpsman and a master-at-arms – was the keynote speaker.
“People are one of the things that make our United States military so great,” Bower said. “It is truly amazing the way that different people with different experiences and different backgrounds can come together and serve the greater good. This is what I believe Memorial Day is all about. It is the people and the belief that service is about something bigger than ourselves.
While the sacrifice of those killed in battle is great, so is the sacrifice of their loved ones, he said.
“We keep in our hearts those who have been handed that folded flag or listened as those 21 rifles fired,” Bower said. “We honor them not only by words but through how we live. By supporting each other, caring for our communities and never taking our freedoms for granted,” Bower said.
Veterans who attended Brookfield’s May 25 Memorial Day observance were, from left, Elwood Walker, Jaime Fredenburg, John Jablonski, Karl Haagsma and John Miller. Photo by Joe Pinchot/NEWS On the Green.
The event closed with BHS students Keilani and Aina Malufau reading the poems “Memorial Day” and “In Flanders Field” respectively. BHS student Ava Winters ended the event with a prayer.
“We honor their sacrifice, their courage and the families and communities who continue to carry their absence,” Ava said. “May their lives remind us to look out for one another, to value the freedoms we share and to lead with compassion and gratitude.”
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Scout Nicholson, of Masury, is a sophomore at Youngstown State University, studying journalism. She writes and edits for The Jambar, YSU’s newspaper.
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These veterans have passed away since Memorial Day 2025 and were named at the Brookfield Township Memorial Day Observance on May 25:
James E. Anders, Marines, Vietnam era
John Blasko Jr., Army Air Corps, World War II era
Gilbert F. Blom, Marines, peacetime
Dennis L. Dillon, Army, Vietnam era
Wesley L. Double, Army, Vietnam era
Ellen B. Durkos, Air Force, Vietnam era
George N. Economides, Air Force, Vietnam era
Harry E. Fry, Army, Korean era
Willie B. Johnson, Army, Korean era
John E. Jones, Marines, Vietnam era
Walter P. Kaszowski, Marines, Korean era
William J. Kilar, Air Force, Vietnam era
Larry H. Kremis, Navy, Vietnam era
William S. Lawrence, Army, Vietnam era
Major Lowe Sr., Army, Vietnam era
Thomas J. McFarland, Army, Vietnam era
Mark E. McGill, Army, peacetime
Randall J. Miller, Navy, Vietnam era
Robert F. Navarra, Navy, Vietnam era
Jerome D. Piehuta, Army National Guard, Vietnam era
Donald R. Record, Navy, peacetime
Donald J. Rodenbaugh, Army, Vietnam era
Donald F. Rust, Air Force, Vietnam era
Larry V. Smoot Jr., Air Force, Vietnam era
William L. Stefanski, Navy, peacetime
James W. Stafford, Army, Korean era
Frederick Stefanovsky Sr., Navy, Korean era
Oscar Swogger Jr., Army, Vietnam era
Raymond Voytko, Army, Vietnam era
Gerald L. Williams, Army, Vietnam era
Richard P. Yonchak, Navy, Vietnam era
