Ladies of the Grand Army host annual veterans service

Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Starkweather Circle No. 173, held its annual veterans memorial service Wednesday at the Noble J. Dick Aquatorium in Monongahela.

Department of Pennsylvania Starkweather Circle #173 Secretary-Treasurer Dorothy Frye Walker addresses attendees during the 2026 Ladies G.A.R. Memorial Service on Wednesday evening at the Monongahela Aquatorium in Monongahela.

As flower petals drifted across the Monongahela River on Wednesday evening, the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic honored generations of Americans whose sacrifices shaped the nation. With America approaching its 250th anniversary, the ceremony also served as a reminder that local history remains deeply tied to the country’s story.

Held at the Monongahela Aquatorium, the 2026 Ladies G.A.R. Memorial Service brought together veterans organizations, local officials, residents and descendants of Revolutionary War patriots to honor fallen service members.

The annual ceremony included prayers, scripture readings and the traditional placement of flowers

Members of the Mon Valley Honor Guard stand at attention during the 2026 Ladies G.A.R. Memorial Service on Wednesday evening at the Monongahela Aquatorium. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

upon the water in honor of service members buried at sea or resting in unmarked graves, a custom dating back to the 1890s and credited to former Donora pastor and U.S. Navy chaplain Rev. J.R. Diettrich.

Wednesday’s ceremony was dedicated to three sisters within Starkweather Circle — one living and two deceased — for decades of honoring veterans and preserving Memorial Day traditions. Organizers recognized Mary Esther May, 96, a past Department of Pennsylvania president and Air Force veteran who conducted the placement of flowers upon the waters of the Connoquenessing for more than four decades. The service also honored deceased chaplains Frances Lucretia Van Scoy and Amy Jean Grinage Brown.

The Starkweather Circle No. 173 chapter of the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic was chartered Aug. 10, 1911. The organization’s mission centers on preserving patriotism and protecting the history of veterans and their families. Over the decades, the chapter has conducted memorial tributes throughout Monongahela, including ceremonies at city bridges, the Aquatorium and other local memorial sites while partnering with veterans groups, historical societies and community organizations across the Mon Valley.

Dorothy Frye Walker, Ladies Grand Army of the Republic past Department of Pennsylvania president and current Department of PA Starkweather Circle secretary, said the ceremony remains deeply personal for many members whose family histories are directly tied to America’s earliest wars.

“A lot of our members, they’re actually descendants of early Revolutionary War patriots,” Walker said.

Walker brought a family lineage display to the ceremony outlining generations of military service within her family, stretching from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and World War II.

“This is my ninth great-grandparent,” Walker said while discussing one ancestor connected to the Revolutionary War.

For Walker, the approaching 250th anniversary of the United States adds another layer of meaning to the ceremony.

“Because I had family who were patriots in the Revolutionary War, and then their generations behind them served in the Civil War and World War II,” Walker said. “It’s just the role models and the patriotism, the power to believe in the country and doing what’s right often at your expense.”

Walker said the ceremony reflects generations of local history and evolving Mon Valley traditions.

“Across the years, our country strives for a ‘more perfect union … Blessings of Liberty to ourselves,’” Walker said. “National and local events impact us. Consolidations in schools, organizations and communities have occurred.”

She noted the merger of the Monongahela and Donora school districts into Ringgold helped preserve ties to the historic Ringgold Cavalry, while the merging of the Ellwood City Circle No. 179 into Starkweather Circle No. 173 continued another long-standing Memorial Day tradition.

“Our country has planned commemorations — sometimes years in advance. We have time to plan,” Walker said. “Our military do not always have that luxury. For some, the ultimate sacrifice comes without warning.”

The program’s “In Memoriam” section recognized veterans from the Mon Valley and beyond who died during the past year, including former Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Ralph Pasini and Korean War veteran Sgt. Clayton Millard Pierce, whose remains were interred in 2025 after decades among the missing. The ceremony also acknowledged recent active-duty military deaths tied to operations in Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Organizers noted those remembered ranged in age from 18 to 106.

Walker said the tradition continues to resonate because of the region’s strong historical ties and generations of military service connected to the Mon Valley.

“With our roots being here in the Mon Valley, Rev. Diettrich was credited for it in 1890,” Walker said. “Now our school systems merged with Monongahela and we’re one, named after Ringgold Cavalry, which my great-grandfather served in. We disagree sometimes, but then we get together for common goals.”

City of Monongahela Director of Communications Dorothea Pemberton said ceremonies like Wednesday’s are essential to preserving patriotism and teaching younger generations the value of history.

“This is the least we can do to remember,” Pemberton said. “We treasure it and hope it continues on forever. I hope youth today become more involved and are taught more by the folks in charge now. Kids need to learn what history is and what it means to be an American.”

The service concluded with a military salute from the Mon Valley Honor Guard and Firing Squad followed by the playing of taps as attendees stood quietly overlooking the river.

Walker said involving children and younger families remains one of the organization’s most important missions, teaching them proper flag etiquette and helping them understand the sacrifices made by those who served.

“They’re learning how to handle the flag, what etiquette means, and they’ve had generations who served,” Walker said. “That’s a great legacy.”