Memorial Day services set in the Mon Valley
By the MVI
Memorial Day is a national day of mourning created to honor those in the United States military who died in defense of our country.
Traditionally, communities commemorate the day with parades, ceremonies and flagging of veterans’ graves.
Memorial Day has been observed in the U.S. as a national holiday honoring all fallen American veterans since 1971, but memorials and other traditions have been around since the end of the Civil War in the 1860s.
Several veterans organizations across the Mon Valley will honor America’s fallen heroes during ceremonies at war and veteran memorial sites throughout the area this weekend, leading up to Memorial Day on Monday.
BELLE VERNON/ NORTH BELLE VERNON
The North Belle Vernon Memorial Day parade will take place on Monday, May 25 at 8:40 a.m. The parade will begin at the corner of Broad Avenue and Wilson Street (The American Legion) and will go down Broad Avenue into the Belle Vernon Cemetery. Lineup begins at 8:30 a.m.
The public is also invited to a Memorial Day service at 9 a.m. May 25 at the Belle Vernon Cemetery.
The Belle Vernon Memorial Day Service Committee will host the service to honor deceased military veterans.
The service will include a performance by the Belle Vernon Area High School marching band and a roll call in honor of deceased veterans.
Guest speaker will be Belle Vernon Area High School and Naval Academy graduate, retired U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Officer Eric McElvenny.
BENTLEYVILLE
Bentleyville American Legion Post 165 will hold Memorial Day services Monday, May 25, at the honor rolls in the following communities: • 9 a.m. Somerset Township, 615 Vanceville Road, Eighty Four
• 9:30 a.m. North Bethlehem / Scenery Hill, 2128 E. National Pike, Scenery Hill
• 10 a.m. Cokeburg, 41 Washington St., Cokeburg
• 10:30 a.m. Ellsworth, 21 S. Main Street, Ellsworth
• 11 a.m. Bentleyville, 511 Main St., Bentleyville A luncheon will follow at the Bentleyville American Legion Post 165, 500 Main St., Bentleyville.
CHARLEROI
American Legion Post 22 announces Memorial Day services on Monday as follows:
• 9 a.m. — Speers Honor Roll, near 1001 Guttman Ave.
• 9:30 a.m. — Fallowfield Honor Roll, 9 Memorial Drive
• 10 a.m. — North Charleroi Honor Roll, 488-498 PA-88
• 11 a.m. — Charleroi Memorial at Chamber Plaza, Fifth Street
• Noon — Dunlevy Honor Roll, Wharf Street
DONORA
Donora American Legion Post 212 will begin the weekend’s observances on Sunday, May 24, with a cookout and games at the Donora American Legion Post 212, 513 Meldon Ave., noon to close.
Monday’s services will be held at the following sites beginning at noon:
• Donora War Memorial, McKean Avenue, between Chestnut and Walnut streets
• St. Dominic Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Donora
• Mon Valley Memorial Park (veterans’ section), 49 2nd St. Ext., Donora • Delsandro Memorial, 587 Meldon Avenue, Donora A luncheon will follow at the Donora American Legion Post 212.
ELIZABETH
The Kastan Uveges VFW Post 7632, its Auxiliary and the Alonzo L. Weigle American Legion Post 553 are preparing for the Memorial Day parade and ceremony that will be held in Elizabeth on May 25. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. with the ceremony following at 10:45 a.m.
The parade route goes down Third Street and makes a left onto Market Street.
FAYETTE CITY
The Fayette City Memorial Day parade and service is scheduled for May 25. Organizations, marching groups, etc., are needed for the parade.
Lineup for the parade will be at 9:15 a.m. starting at the Christian Church parking lot on Water Street. The parade will begin at approximately 10 a.m.
There will be a ceremony immediately following the parade at the Fayette City Honor Roll.
Music, a vendor show, food trucks and an afternoon of fellowship will follow at the Fayette City American Legion. Anyone wishing to set up should contact Denise at clloyd2010@ yahoo.com for a registration form.
FINLEYVILLE
American Legion Post 613 will hold Memorial Day Services in Finleyville on Sunday, May 24, at the following locations:
• 1 p.m. — Stone Church Cemetery
• 1:15 p.m. — St. Francis Cemetery • 1:30 p.m. — Mingo Creek Cemetery • 1:45 p.m. — Finleyville Cemetery • 2 p.m. — Finleyville VFD Training Center (formerly Finleyville Community Center) All times approximate. Refreshments will be served following the community center ceremonies at American Legion Post 613 Morrison-Ritchie.
BOROUGH OF JEFFERSON HILLS
The borough of Jefferson Hills will hold a Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. May 25 at 1540 State St., Clairton. The community is invited to gather in remembrance and reflection as we honor those we have lost. Hot dogs will be served following the service.
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL CEMETERY
Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, Funeral Home, and Crematory, 401 Curry Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony 11 a.m. Monday.
The service will conclude by noon in the Garden of Oak Knoll. The annual program is free and open to the public.
Music will be performed by Thomas Jefferson High School Choir.
LIBERTY BOROUGH
A Memorial Day service will be held at 10 a.m. May 24 at the Liberty Borough memorial, corner of Liberty Way and Lauck Avenue.
MCKEESPORT
The City of McKeesport will honor those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice with a solemn ceremony at 10 a.m. May 25 at Memorial Park, Lysle Blvd.
MONESSEN
The Monessen Veterans will hold its annual Memorial Day service at noon Sunday, May 24, at the Grandview Cemetery Mausoleum.
The public is encouraged to attend to honor the memory of those who gave all and those KIA and MIA as well as our veterans from all wars.
The public is encouraged to attend to honor all of those from Monessen who gave their lives in defense of our country.
MONONGAHELA
The City of Monongahela and the Monongahela Veterans Council will conduct Memorial Day services on May 25 as follows:
• 9 to 9:30 a.m. — Motor escort and parade from Fourth Street and Main to First Street
• 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. — Memorial Day program and services at the Monongahela Cemetery veterans’ section.
Honors and tributes will be conducted at honor rolls as follows:
• 11:30 a.m. — Victory Hill
• Noon — New Eagle
• 12:15 p.m. — Chess Park
• 12:40 p.m. — Fisher Heights
• 1 p.m. — Sacred Heart Cemetery • 1:30 p.m. — Van Voorhis
• 2 p.m. — Ginger Hill Grange
• 2:30 p.m. — Hazelkirk All times are approximate.
MON VALLEY MEMORIAL PARK
The annual Memorial Day remembrance ceremony will be held at 12:45 p.m. May 24 at Mon Valley Memorial Park, 49 Second Street Extension, Donora.
The special ceremony will remember and honor fallen service members. A roll call will be conducted for those interred during the year, May 2025-April 2026.
MT. VERNON CEMETERY
The public is welcome to join a Memorial Day service and flag ceremony at 11 a.m. May 23 at the Mt. Vernon Cemetery of Elizabeth, 2300 Greenock Buena Vista Road, McKeesport. A service and flag ceremony will be held honoring those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. The honor guard will provide honors and Boy Scout Troop 99 will raise the flag. Blessings will be shared. Patriotic songs will be sung, and there will be a moment of remembrance.
NATIONAL CEMETERY OF THE ALLEGHENIES
The Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery of the Alleghenies will host a solemn Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony, accompanied by speeches, a moment of silence, a rifle salute by the U.S. Marine Corps League 1138 Honor Guard and the playing of Taps.
Memorial Day services will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 24, at 1158 Morgan Road, Bridgeville, This ceremony is opened to the public and all members of the community are welcome to attend.
FIVE-TOWN AREA
Roscoe American Legion Post 801 Memorial Day services will be held Monday as follows:
• 9 a.m. Elco Civic Center, 400 Route 88, Elco
• 9:15 a.m. Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 525 Dally Road, Coal Center
• 9:30 a.m. Coal Center Honor Roll, 128 Water St., Coal Center
• 9:45 a.m. Liberty Circle Honor Roll, Liberty and Fourth streets, California
• 10 a.m. Howe Cemetery, 453 Dally Road, Coal Center
• 10:10 a.m. Long Branch Honor Roll, Long Branch
• 10:20 a.m. Twilight Honor Roll, Twilight
• 10:35 a.m. Mt. Tabor Cemetery, 255 Mt. Tabor Road, Coal Center
• 10:45 a.m. Allenport Honor Roll, 1850 Main St., Allenport
• 10:55 a.m. Stockdale Honor Roll, Locust and Bow streets, Stockdale
• 11:05 a.m. Memorial Park at the Roscoe American Legion Post 801, 520 Furlong Ave., Roscoe All times are approximate.
ROSTRAVER TWP. HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A Memorial Day program will be held 9 a.m. Monday at the Rostraver Township Historical Society presented by Belle Vernon Area High School social studies teacher Robb Jenkins and a group of his students. The program begins at 9 a.m. and the doors open at 8:15 a.m. Rostraver Township Historical Society’s Stuart Boyd will be the speaker. The historical society is located at 800 Fellsburg Road, Belle Vernon.
SUTERSVILLE
The Sutersville Memorial Day Parade and Bridge Renaming Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, at the Sutersville Volunteer Fire Company Pavilion, followed immediately by the official bridge renaming ceremony held at Moose Lodge 1358 (138 1st Ave, Sutersville). During this ceremony, the Sutersville Bridge will be dedicated as the “Sons of Sutersville and Elizabeth Fallen Heroes Memorial Bridge.”
WEST MIFFLIN
The annual West Mifflin Borough Memorial Day Service is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23, at Mitchell Paige Park, 4917 Homeville Rd. West Mifflin.
Refreshments will also be served.
