Fond du Lac Remembers & Honors Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day

Photo: Jeff Puddy, the keynote speaker of this year’s Memorial Day ceremony, speaks at Veterans Park on Monday


The Fond du
Lac Community gathered along Main Street and at Veterans Park on Memorial Day
Monday to remember and honor those who gave their lives while serving our
country. Jeff Puddy, a U.S. Navy Veteran and the American Legion County Commander,
was the keynote speaker at Monday’s ceremony. Puddy says it’s important to remember
the true meaning of Memorial Day. “We need to remember all of those who gave
everything,” Puddy said. “There’s a saying out there, ‘All gave some, but some
gave all’, we are here to remember those who gave all – men and women. So we
want to keep this going, we don’t want to forget what this day is all about.” 322
soldiers from Fond du Lac County have died while serving our country since
World War One. Puddy says their sacrifice reminds us that freedom isn’t free. “Service members, living and deceased, at some point
in their life wrote a check payable to the United States of America – up to,
and including, their life. Today, we remember those for which that check was cashed.”


Other
speakers at Monday’s ceremony included State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt, Fond
du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel, Fond du Lac City Manager Joe Moore and
City of Fond du Lac Police Chief Bill Lamb. Music was provided by the Fond du
Lac High School Band.