South Lake Minnetonka Memorial Day Events

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South Lake Minnetonka Memorial Day Events Memorial Day Events
Graveside Services
Program
Parade
Oak Hill Cemetery Ceremony

Thank you to all who participated 🇺🇸
06/05/2026

Thank you to all who participated 🇺🇸

Flags Up!Thank you Excelsior Public Works for putting up the flags in Excelsior. Water Street looks ready for a parade!T...
05/23/2026

Flags Up!

Thank you Excelsior Public Works for putting up the flags in Excelsior.

Water Street looks ready for a parade!

The parade is just part of how Veterans are Honored on Memorial Day.

South Lake Minnetonka Memorial Day Events
Monday, May 25, 2026.

Memorial Program
10:00 a.m.
Excelsior Elementary School in the gymnasium.

Memorial Day Parade
Parade Start: 11:00 a.m.

Memorial Day Graveside Ceremony
11:30 a.m.
Oak Hill Cemetery, Excelsior

Social Gathering and Luncheon at the Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 will follow the Oak Hill Ceremony.

Thank You Excelsior Lions Club Memorial Day Poster Distribution Volunteers for taking time out of your day to hang flyer...
05/19/2026

Thank You Excelsior Lions Club Memorial Day Poster Distribution Volunteers for taking time out of your day to hang flyers in posters in the South Lake Area.

Thank you to all the business that donated real estate in their windows, bulletin boards, and walls.

If you have not caught a glimpse of the posters yet, here’s is the info you don’t want to miss.

One Week Away!!!!
MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS
7:30 a.m. Three Gravesite Visits. Starts at Woodside Cemetery
10:00 a.m. Memorial Program at Excelsior Elementary School in the gymnasium.
11:00 a.m. Parade from Excelsior Elementary School to Oak Hill Cemetery.
Flyover during the parade and Oak Hill Cemetery.
11:30 a.m. Graveside Ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Social Gathering and Luncheon at the Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 will follow. See less

Banner Up!The South Lake Memorial Day Banner is Up. Thank you Tanner and Pro Tree Outdoor Services for your generosity a...
05/16/2026

Banner Up!

The South Lake Memorial Day Banner is Up.

Thank you Tanner and Pro Tree Outdoor Services for your generosity and time to spread the word about the Memorial Day Events.

South Lake Minnetonka Memorial Day Events
Monday, May 25, 2026

Memorial Program
10:00 a.m.
Excelsior Elementary School in the gymnasium.

Memorial Day Parade
Parade Start: 11:00 a.m.

Memorial Day Graveside Ceremony
11:30 a.m.
Oak Hill Cemetery, Excelsior

Social Gathering and Luncheon at the Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 will follow the Oak Hill Ceremony.

FLASHBACK FRIDAYClarence Gabriel Clofer1895-1919 (age 23)The Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 located in Shorewo...
05/15/2026

FLASHBACK FRIDAY
Clarence Gabriel Clofer
1895-1919 (age 23)

The Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 located in Shorewood on Smithtown Road was named in honor of WWI Veteran and Excelsior resident, Clarence Clofer.

Clarence Gabriel Clofer was the son of John Clofer, born Germany, and Lizzie Gabrielson, born Norway. He graduated from Excelsior High School in 1914, then took a class in mechanics at the Minneapolis Tractor School. Before entering the service he worked for Donaldsons, Minneapolis, operating Launch deliveries on Lake Minnetonka. He was a member of the I.O.O.F and Congregational Church.

Clarence was the Chief Machinist's Mate, US Navy, served on the U.S.S. Subchaser #205 during WWI. He died following an explosion on the Submarine Chaser in 1919 in Key West, Florida. Clofer as the first WWI casualty whose body was returned to Excelsior.

He was given a large military funeral. The Village of Excelsior paid part of the expenses of his funeral. The whole town of Excelsior shut down for his funeral. The procession was so long that there was an unbroken line from the Congregational Church to Oak Hill Cemetery.

Memorial Day is for soldiers such as Clarence Gabriel Clofer. It is a day to honor those who have died in service to our nation.

10:00 a.m. Memorial Program at Excelsior Elementary School in the gymnasium. In the same building Clarence Clofer graduated from.

11:00 a.m. Parade from Excelsior Elementary to Oak Hill Cemetery. Part of the same path the Clarence Clofer funeral procession took to Oak Hill Cemetery.

11:30 a.m. Graveside Ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery. The final resting place of Clarence Gabriel Clofer.
Social Gathering at the Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 in Shorewood to follow.

The American Legion is named in honor of Clarence Gabriel Clofer.

Tour of the Oak Hill Cemetery after the Graveside Ceremony. You will see Clarence Clofer’s gravesite and learn more about local soldiers.

THROWBACK ThursdayMEMORIAL DAY 1892West side of Water Street, Excelsior, MN. Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Vetera...
05/15/2026

THROWBACK Thursday

MEMORIAL DAY 1892
West side of Water Street, Excelsior, MN. Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Veterans gather.

MEMORIAL DAY CA.1908
People gathered at Excelsior Township Hall and the Excelsior Volunteer Fire Department at 339 Third Street on before parading to Oak Hill Cemetery. The tower on the right side3 of the photo held the bell that was rang to notify the firefighters that there was an emergency.

MEMORIAL DAY 1946
During World War II fourteen Excelsior Fire Department Firefighters went into the service. They became members of the Army, Navy, Army Air Corps, and Merchant Marines.

World War II ended on September 2, 1945. Firefighters retuning from WW II made it back home in time for the Memorial Day festivities in Excelsior.

Below are the details of the upcoming Memorial Day Parade and events in Excelsior.

SOUTH LAKE MINNETONKA MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS

Attention Veterans, Families, and Friends
Parade Start: 11:00 a.m.
Honoring the Veteran in Your Life
Family and friends of veterans are invited to honor their veterans in the parade.
Carry pictures, posters, banners, mementoes from their life, uniforms, and flags.

Memorial Day Events
7:30 a.m. Three Gravesite Visits. Starts at Woodside Cemetery
10:00 a.m. Memorial Program at Excelsior Elementary School in the gymnasium.
11:00 a.m. Parade from Excelsior Elementary School to Oak Hill Cemetery.
11:30 a.m. Graveside Ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Social Gathering and Luncheon at the Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 will follow.

Veterans, this day is all about the community honoring your comrades, those you stood by, and the solider your miss. Com...
05/12/2026

Veterans, this day is all about the community honoring your comrades, those you stood by, and the solider your miss. Come and stand beside your community as we honor our veterans on Memorial Day.

South Lake Minnetonka Memorial Day Events
Monday, May 25, 2026

ATTENTION VETERANS, FAMILIES, AND FRIENDS
The community would be delighted if you could join us by participating in the South Lake Minnetonka Memorial Day Events, including the parade.

Memorial Program
10:00 a.m.
Excelsior Elementary School in the gymnasium.

Memorial Day Parade
Parade Start: 11:00 a.m.

Honoring the Veteran in Your Life
Family and friends of veterans are invited to honor their veterans in the parade.
Carry pictures, posters, banners, mementoes from their life, uniforms, and flags.

Graveside Ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery
11:30 a.m.

Presenting Memorials Veterans at the War Monument
Oak Hill Cemetery
After the parade
Present a token of honor to enduring memory memorials during the Graveside Service.

Memorials that have been presented in the past, wreaths, bouquets of flowers, plants, creative flag arrangements, drawings, and bags filled with Thank You notes to Veterans at the War Monument.

Veterans, make your reservation to ride in a Military Vehicle During the parade. Send Firefighter Kellie an e mail or text.
[email protected] or 612-409-1975

Social Gathering and Luncheon at the Clarence Clofer American Legion Post 259 will follow the Oak Hill Ceremony.

Address

South Lake Minnetonka
Shorewood, MN
55331

Telephone

+19524743982

Website

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