05/26/2026
ROCHESTER PAUSES TO REMEMBER SACRIFICE ON MEMORIAL DAY
Story and Photos by Barb Wilson, Editor, Illinois VFW News
The Rochester, Illinois, community gathered May 25 at the Rochester Cemetery to pay tribute to the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom.
“We are gathered to remember those who lost their lives in defense of our great nation and the ideals espoused in our constitution,” said guest speaker Col. Elizabeth Roxworthy, Chief of Staff of the Illinois Department of Military Affairs, and the J-5 Directorate for Strategy, Plans and Policy as a traditional member of the Illinois National Guard. “This marks our nation’s 250th anniversary. It is a monumental milestone, but we could not celebrate two and a half centuries of freedom without also honoring those who sacrificed their lives to birth, nurture, and advance our free republic.”
The ceremony, hosted by Rochester Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11463, also featured a welcome address from Rochester Village President Stacia Munroe.
“I am honored to stand alongside so many who understand the meaning of service, sacrifice, and patriotism,” she said. “As we gather today with family and friends, it is important we remember this holiday exists. The freedoms we enjoy today did not come without a cost. It was courage, sacrifice, and devotion to something greater than oneself.
Roxworthy said as children, Memorial Day was viewed as the unofficial start of summer.
“As adults, we understand the true weight of today,” she said. “Today is a day to pause, to reflect, and to remember the cost of freedoms that too many of us often forget or take for granted. The price of freedom, and the guarantee to live according to our individual choices and values, is paid by the men and women who step forward to serve our nation in uniform.”
Roxworthy said the Rochester community understands the cost of freedom deeply.
“We lost Cpl. James Palmatier in Iraq in 2005, and Cpl. James Chad Young in Afghanistan in 2010,” she said. “To the Gold Star families and friends of these two heroes and to the loved ones of all our fallen, thank you.”
“Thank you for your strength, your courage, and your selflessness,” she said. “Most of us who serve, do so with distinction, proudly doing our part before returning to our civilian lives. But the rest served with extraordinary valor, giving their last effort and their final breath to preserve our liberty.”
In the 25 years since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, 256 service members from Illinois lost their lives serving our nation. Of those, 34 served in the Illinois National Guard.
“Behind every name etched into a stone monument and behind every folded flag is a story,” she said. “A son or daughter, a parent, a friend, a life interrupted and a future never fully realized. The fact we are gathered here freely is proof their service mattered and their sacrifice was significant.”
Behind every fallen service member is loved ones who must carry on.
“There are families who bear the polarity of pride and grief at the exact same time,” Roxworthy said. “Their resilience deserves our recognition and support.”
Roxworthy said we must also recognize the families of service members who served and returned home.
“Just last year in 2025, more than 2,500 members of the Illinois National Guard were deployed outside of the United States,” she said. “They could not have focused so clearly on their mission without unwavering support at home. So beyond today and beyond this event, how do we truly honor our veterans, those who continue to serve, and those we have lost?”
She offered five ways to show support.
“First, we remember,” she said. “We speak their names, learn their stories, visit memorials, attend ceremonies, and teach our younger generations why this day matters.”
Roxworthy said we must support our veteran community.
“Reach out to a veteran in your community, listen to their experiences, and acknowledge their service,” he said. “Support the organizations that provide assistance to veterans and military families.”
A third way to show support is to show up, said Roxworthy.
“We show up for military families, those who endure long separations, uncertain futures, and in some cases, unimaginable loss,” she said. “Offering practical help, friendship, and community can make a world of difference.”
She said we must live in a manner to be worthy of their sacrifice.
“That means striving to be engaged citizens, contributing positively to our neighborhoods, and upholding the democratic values of our nation so many gave their lives to protect,” she said. “We must also commit to be participants in the cause of freedom. It takes all our effort to correct and clear the course of freedom for future generations.”
Roxworthy said that Memorial Day is not only about loss, but it is also about legacy.
“This day is about the legacy of courage, of sacrifice, and of a nation shaped by those willing to give everything for it,” she said. “For this legacy to persist for another 250 years, we must never forget those who served and sacrificed. We must honor them with our words, our time, and our actions. We must do all of this to be worthy of their sacrifice and of the freedoms they defended.”
