In 1943, Oral Clark Lee (known as O.C. by many) left his young wife and baby daughter to serve in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Most of his military service was spent in Guam as an airplane mechanic.

At the conclusion of the war, my grandfather was reunited with his young family. Many years later, while touring his hometown of Brigham City, Utah, I remember my grandfather pointing out the childhood homes of his friends who did not return from the war.

As Memorial Day approaches, I can’t help but feel grateful for and indebted to those men and women who lost their lives in service to our country. Throughout our nation’s history, there have been times when peace was sacrificed in order to gain or ensure freedom.

On May 31, the nation will celebrate Memorial Day. Each year, the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) puts on a ceremony at 10 a.m. in downtown Clayton. Each year, I get choked up when I see the veterans in attendance and remember those who died in our defense.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day – a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers. After World War I, all fallen soldiers were honored. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday of May. I hope you take some time to remember and honor those who sacrificed their lives for our benefit. With all of the political rancor that we hear each day, it is easy to forget what a great country we live in. Sure, it is not perfect. But I do not know of any other country that offers the same level of freedom and opportunity.

Memorial Day is often considered the start of summer. However this year, with the exception of the weather, it feels like summer started on May 8. This was the first day of the weekly Farmers Market and the first of the Concerts in the Grove. The Farmers Market will continue through the summer starting at 8 a.m. Saturdays. The next concert is 6 p.m. May 22, featuring Mamaluke. After 4 p.m., you can stake out your space for the concert, eat dinner downtown and then enjoy the music.

Enjoy the start of summer and remember the sacrifices made on our behalf.