Volunteers place flags on veterans’ graves; Memorial Day ceremony set for Monday at Stephens County courthouse
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
The rabbits were a little confused by all of the people scattered around the Breckenridge Cemetery this morning, but everyone else was on a mission: find the graves of the approximately 900 U.S. military veterans buried there and place an American flag by their headstones.
It’s an annual activity started by Jim Merson, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, about 15 years ago. Initially, he worked with local organizations, such as Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, but when the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed group activities for many organizations, he started putting out a call for any volunteers to come help with the project.
Volunteers searched the entire Breckenridge Cemetery, looking for the graves of U.S. military veterans so that they could place flags by the headstones. (Photo by Tony Pilkingon/Breckenridge Texan)
Last year, Les Strickland, the Stephens County Veterans Service Officer and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, joined Merson in an official capacity. Strickland and his wife, Sherry, have been volunteering to help since 2020.
This year, about 35 people, including the Stricklands, showed up at 8 a.m. this morning, Saturday, May 23, walking among the more than 7,000 graves in the Breckenridge Cemetery and looking for signs that indicated the deceased was a veteran. Among the volunteers were families who came to not only to help out but also to add a touch of realism to what the kids have studied in school. The volunteers also got a chance to see some of the wildlife that hang out at the cemetery, including several rabbits that spent the morning trying to find a safe place to hide until all the activity settled down.
There were also several veterans and the children and grandchildren of veterans. Arthur Estrada, a U.S. Army veteran, and his wife Linda have been coming since 2020. Back then, they weren’t yet married, and they didn’t live in Stephens County, but they came anyway to help out. They’ve since become husband and wife, and they live at Hubbard Creek Lake now. And they still show up to help honor those who served.
Merson and Strickland will be back at the cemetery at 5 p.m. Monday, May 25, to pick up the flags. They will also welcome any help with that task.
Click here to see a photo gallery from today’s event.
Local Memorial Day activities will continue with the annual ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Stephens County Courthouse, 200 W. Walker St., scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25.
The event will honor local U.S. military veterans who died in 2025. Their names have been engraved on the veterans monument located on the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn. Additionally, the names of several veterans who died in previous years and were inadvertently left off of the monument have been added.
In addition to the flags at the cemetery and the ceremony at the monument, Memorial Day is also observed in Breckenridge with flags posted around town by the Rotary Club of Breckenridge. The project is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club, and any local business or resident who would like a flag displayed at their location on patriotic holidays, including Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Presidents’ Day and Patriot Day, may contact a member of the Rotary Club for more information.
Memorial Day, which honors those who died in military service to the United States, was first observed as a national event on May 30, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War. It was originally known as Decoration Day because the graves were decorated with flowers. By the late 1800s, the holiday was known as Memorial Day, but it was still commonly called Decoration Day until World War II. The name was officially changed to Memorial Day in 1967.
Most government agencies and many businesses will be closed on Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day.
About 35 volunteers walked throughout the Breckenridge Cemetery this morning, Saturday, May 23, to place flags on the graves of those who served in the U.S. military. The annual activity has been orchestrated by Jim Merson for about 15 years. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Volunteers of all ages showed up this morning to help honor the veterans who are buried in the Breckenridge Cemetery. Click here to see more photos of the annual Memorial Day weekend activity. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
