Memorial Day in the United States was originally set aside as a day to commemorate the lives and sacrifices of those who died on both sides in the Civil War. It has since extended to commemorate all Americans who have died while in military service, regardless of which war they fought in. Memorial Day continues to be a time to remember the sacrifices of those who have defended our freedoms. But it has grown to include the sharing of memories of all of our loved ones.
This Memorial Day promises to be one that we will always remember. With COVID restrictions lifted for those of us who live here, we are able to visit the graves of loved ones physically and to gather as friends and family, to remember, and to share memories our loved ones who have died. As we share stories and memories of our loved ones their lives will not be forgotten. This Memorial Day will be one of gratitude for those who have gone before us and a day to recognize our lives and our blessings and to think about the legacy we will one day leave behind.
In a FamilySearch blog article written by Steve Anderson; Memorial Day—A Day of Remembering, we can learn more about why we celebrate Memorial Day, when it became recognized as a national holiday, and ways we can honor and celebrate the lives of our loved ones that have died. He has links to Memorial Day celebrations others have shared on FamilySearch that might give you ideas that you can incorporate in to your celebration this year. We can also celebrate the lives of our loved ones in a personal way by searching their memories, and reading their stories that have been shared on FamilySearch.
We can keep the stories of our loved ones alive as we visit FamilySearch.org and add a memory to our person page, and those of our loved ones. It’s a great way to commemorate the life of someone who has given something that has touched your life and in some small way, changed the world.
These sources may help you in your own Memorial Day Celebration:
- FamilySearch.org/civil-war
- Discover Your Ancestors in World War I Records
- United States World War I Draft Registration Cards
- United Kingdom World War I Service Records
- Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Records
- Find A Grave
- Sleuthing in Cemeteries for Your Ancestors
If you need any help using these resources or sharing memories on FamilySearch, remember the Granite Family History Center is now open and operational. You can get help from our Temple and Family History consultants who serve there (see Website for details).
–Elaine Hardman – Communications, Granite Family History Center