Veterans Day Ceremony Is Monday at Edmonds Memorial Cemetery

Every year in honor of Veteran’s Day, the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery identifies the burial sites of all veterans by marking them with a small American flag.

There are almost 500 veterans interred at the cemetery dating back to the Civil War (1861-1865).

On Monday, the public is invited to join Dale Hoggins, cemetery board member, and Betty Deebach Gaeng, Sno-Isle Genealogical Society and Alderwood Manor Heritage Association member, for a Veteran’s Day tour to learn and share stories about the men and women who served the country.

The event begins at 1 p.m. The tour was originally scheduled for Saturday, but due to a last-minute funeral it was rescheduled for Monday, the federal legal holiday for Veterans Day.

Gaeng is the author/compiler of the book, Etched in Stone, which details the history of the memorial monument located in front of the Edmonds Museum.  The monument, first dedicated on Memorial Day 1948, is inscribed with 79 names of men who lost their lives during wartime since World War I.

The book recounts the lives of these men, all who had a connection to the Edmonds School District 15. In 2010, Gaeng received a publications commendation from the League of Snohomish County Heritage Organizations for her outstanding contribution in the field of Snohomish County history.

Hoggins is a longtime Edmonds Cemetery board member and past chair of the annual Memorial Day ceremony who has an avid interest in local history. He has done extensive research on the pioneers of Edmonds and has led tours of the cemetery for the past 16 years.

The Edmonds Memorial Cemetery and Columbarium was founded in 1891 and in 1972 was placed on the Washington State Register of Historic Places. The mission of this historic cemetery is to preserve and maintain a peaceful resting place for the families and communities it serves.

For more information about the tour, call Hoggins at 425-776-1543.