SALT LAKE CITY — For many, Memorial Day is a long weekend. But at Fort Douglas Cemetery in Salt Lake City, it was a holiday of names, headstones, and the people who keep coming back to remember them.
The sound of Taps echoed through the cemetery Monday as families gathered to honor those who served. For Jenny Stoddard, bringing her children is about making sure her family’s history isn’t forgotten.
Stoddard's grandfather, James Adams, served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
"I would really like my kids to know what the real reason we have a holiday is," Stoddard said.
Jenny's son shares his great-grandfather’s name and said even without meeting him, he feels connected to his sacrifice.
“Seems like he had done a lot to help our freedom, and I’m kind of sad I didn’t get to meet him," he said.
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Across the cemetery, U.S. Army Reserve officer Rebecca Odekirk reflected on her own family’s military roots, which she now continues.
“We’ve probably had four or five generations of service in our family, so this means a lot," shared Odekirkn.
Rebecca has been attending Memorial Day ceremonies at Fort Douglas since she was just four years old.
“As a nation, being able to bow our heads and say thank you means everything,” she said.
For the Stoddard family, that gratitude started at James Adam’s headstone. And for his great-grandson, it didn’t end there.
“I have been thinking that when I get older, I want to join the military as a Marine," he said.
A great-grandfather he never met, still helping him understand what service means. For the families and veterans who attended, the ceremony ended, but the responsibility to remember does not.
