RICHMOND — Richmond marked Memorial Day in grand fashion Monday via a parade packed with participation; a different twist on the Gettysburg Address; a grand marshal who personally understood the ultimate sacrifice; and a guest speaker who challenged his audience to reflect on perhaps taken-for-granted, basic values of everyday living.

J.O. Henry, commander of the Richmond American Legion Post 740, Honored Seven, served as master of ceremonies at the Richmond Union Cemetery service where he first introduced Wendy Byers and Donna Corder, co-chairs of the parade sponsored by the Richmond Community Historical Society. “Wave the Flag for Our Veterans” was the theme.

Also introduced were wreath carriers Tallyn Larkins, daughter of Ben and Melody Larkins, and Bailey Tharp, daughter of Lenny and Kayla Tharp; members of the color guard, who conducted a 21-gun salute; and Sean Lyons, who performed taps.

Mavourneen Kearney of Wintersville, formerly of Richmond, was honored as grand marshal, riding with close friend Betty Hout of Richmond, a former parade marshal herself.

“Mavourneen’s family has a rich military background,” Henry said in singling her out, noting her great-grandfather, Col. John Fraser, fought in the Civil War; her father, James Frank Ferguson, fought in World War I; and her brother-in-law, Carl Cook, was shot down over Germany where he was held as a prisoner of war for two years.

“Mavourneen understands the cost of our freedom and the importance of Memorial Day,” Henry continued, explaining that her first husband, Clark Purkey, was killed in action in France in July 1944, and her nephew, staff Sgt. Lowell Ferguson, was killed in action during the Vietnam War.

Mavourneen and her second husband, Robert Kearney, a member of the Richmond Legion, were married in 1947. He died in 1985. A 60-year member of the Legion auxiliary, she has three children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Guest speaker Coast Guard Rear Admiral Joseph M. Vojvodich, formerly of Richmond, said it was a privilege to return to his roots, “to an upbringing that was grounded in the values of family and community” and thanked his hometown “for such an enduring Memorial Day tradition.”

Vojvodich said he was grateful to stand with fellow citizens “to remember, reflect, reconnect and revere, to honor our past. We also fulfill an obligation by reconnecting with the values that our predecessors were willing to fight and die for, and we fulfill an obligation by renewing our energy and commitment to each other, to our communities and to our nation in order to shape our future into a society that our forefathers would be proud of.”

He referred to the late Carl Bernhart, a Richmond resident who was 20 when he died in combat during the Vietnam War, recalling how last year a stretch of state Route 43 was dedicated to the local hero.

“You might not think you know Carl Bernhart or many of those who sacrificed in the line of duty, but I think that you do,” Vojvodich said, explaining it’s through a shared love of country, a common ethos and core values and a duty and obligation of a commitment to one another.

With each Memorial Day remembrance, Vojvodich said, “We implicitly acknowledge all those who have shaped the country into what we’ve inherited, and I hope it’s events like this one that provide an opportunity to rekindle our connection and commitment to our country, recognizing, too, that future generations will become heirs to what we eventually leave behind.”

Dave Grimm Jr., a 1971 graduate of Jefferson Union High School who lives in Texas, delivered the Gettysburg Address, a staple of the program normally reserved for students.

Grimm volunteered in part for two reasons — to honor the memory of Lota Romaine Scott Call, his great-great-grandmother, who on Memorial Day would “march in the parade, hold hands with the kids, make sure the poppies got distributed properly and recite the Gettysburg Address.”

Another main reason, he said in an admission not minus emotion, was “to walk shoulder to shoulder and honor by Uncle Tom (Grimm) and see some of the guys who were part of my life,” a reference to some of the Color Guard participants nearby.

Before the recitation, Grimm set the stage for the address given Nov. 19, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pa., less than five months after Union armies had defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.

“You hear it every year, but I want to try to paint a little bit of a picture so when you go away it’s a little bit more than a few words,” Grimm said, noting Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War, one of magnitude and significance.

“If you think about the number of casualties, the number of soldiers on both sides who were killed, wounded or ended up missing, the number in three days was about 50,000 — 50,000 Americans killed, wounded, missing, in the bloodiest battle in U.S. history,” Grimm said, urging the audience to think of it in a localized faction.

“If you took all the people who live in Richmond, East Springfield, Amsterdam, Wintersville, Toronto, Steubenville and Weirton, they come up to about 50,000 — could you imagine every person in our towns and our cities killed, wounded or missing in three days? That’s a huge number,” Grimm said. “If you took that number and laid them head to toe, the line would go from Richmond past Pittsburgh. I hope that puts a number you can relate to the magnitude of it.”

Grimm said a civil war rages today, with factions such as extreme poverty, racial and cultural issues, drugs and government issues looking to tear the country, communities and families apart.

He offered Lincoln’s encouragement — “for us to be dedicated to the great remaining task before us and that is to jump in and play a part.” Nobody is too small, young or old to make a difference, according to Grimm.

Pastor Georgette Gaston of Richmond United Methodist Church gave the invocation and benediction. Music was provided by Edison High School’s band under the leadership of Marc Sansone, director.

The parade and service came on the heels of an annual breakfast held at the Richmond United Methodist Church and attended by more than 200 people. Henry announced the Legion post is establishing a Sons of the American Legion. Anyone interested in joining can contact Henry at (740) 317-5407. Auxiliary members also are being sought.