Monday marked the first time in two since 2018 Memorial Day was observed in the cemetery. The 2020 pandemic forced the cancellation of Memorial Day activities and rain forced the 2019 observance indoors.

The 2021 Memorial Day observance was well attended by the community. This year’s Master of Ceremonies was Larry Kilmer, a Vietnam War veteran and 1967 New Ulm High School graduate.

A retired Brown County Highway Department Assistant Engineer, Kilmer and his wife Linda have six children, 16 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Kilmer family members have served from World War I to Afghanistan.

The observance featured the recitation of the Gettysburg Address from Gavin Keech. He worked as a Marine and motorsports technician for nearly two years before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force to pursue a career as a low observable aircraft structural maintenance specialist. He plans to design, fabricate and modify unique metals and bonded materials that create a stealth effect.

Gavin Keech continued New Ulm’s Memorial Day tradition of reciting the Gettysburg Address.

The Memorial Address was given by Gavin’s father, Maj. Thomas Keech. Keech has flown the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to many locations including leading four Ospreys from Hawaii to Australia in 2017.

A 1993 New Ulm High School graduate, Keech has won many military honors and medals including Assault Amphibious Crewman Course Honor Graduate, Marine Corps. An Enlisted Commissioning Program selectee, he attended flight training and his Naval Aviator Wings in June 2005.

Completing several tours in support of the Global War on Terror, Keech was named 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Aviator of the Year in 2017.

Major Keech thanked everyone for attending the ceremony and reminded them that this holiday was paid for by those who gave all in service to the country.

Keech specifically recognized three friends from the service that he lost over the years. Keech said he first entered basic training in 1994 and came out of training in 1995. At that time the United States was not involved in conflicts, but that changed after 9/11 and the War on Terror.

Keech lost his friend Thomas “T.J.” Dudley died in 2011 in Afghanistan. He fell from an aircraft during takeoff as pilots were scrambling to evade what they believed was an impending enemy attack.

In 2012, Keech’s roommate in basic training Nathan Anderson, a Huey pilot, was killed during a helicopter accident during a training exercise.

In 2018, Keech lost another friend, Kevin Hermann, in a training exercise off the coast of Japan.

Keech closed his address saying it was great for communities to come together like this to honor and celebrate those who fought and died for this country.

The Memorial Day observance closed with a reading of the names of area veterans who died in the last year. The list includes Florian Altenburg, Charles Biedscheid, Algot Blomquist, Gerry Boyle, Robert Brand, Wil Burdorf, Sylvester Domeier, Teri Doty, Stanley Forst, George Glotzbach, Kenneth Herzog, Roger Hoelz, Darwin Hohenstein, Lawrence Hornig, Denis Iverson, Harvey Janni, Roger Julien, Marvin Kahle, Alfred Klinkner, Thomas Manderfeld, Joseph Platz, Norbert Portner, Richard Roesch, Richard Runck, Gerald Scheibel, Eldor Schulumpberger, Red Spellum, Alan Steinbeisser, Ted Stoltenburg, Lyle Stolze, Leo Sturm, Edwin Sturm, Roger Sturm, Glenn Swanson, Ronald Thompson, Harvey Veit, James Walsh, Roger Weppolo, Leo Wifahrt and Greg Griebel.