The annual Memorial Day service at West Seattle’s Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor) spanned the years in more ways than one. Cub Scouts from Pack 793 placed the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown as the service began; just before it started, we photographed American Legion Post 160 Commander Chris Shea, speaking for a 7th year, with the man who will succeed him at the post, Kyle Geraghty:

The service itself was as always relatively short but stirring; Shea read “In Flanders Fields” as part of his reflections, while Seattle Opera mezzo-soprano Lucy Weber, a West Seattleite, sang the national anthem and “America the Beautiful.” Here’s the entire 37-minute service as we recorded it:

Shea paid tribute to the past, and its lessons for the present and future, reading the poem “In Flanders Fields” and also recounting the story of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his successes following failure. As the service began, we counted more than 50 people – including some standing:

The veterans buried at Forest Lawn include some who served as far back as the Civil War.