REMEMBERING THE BRAVE - The Waseca community gathered for a Memorial Day program on Monday, May 25. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently
Waseca honors Memorial Day
Thu, 05/28/2026 - 1:30am
About 200 people attended a 9 a.m. Memorial Day program on the lawn of the Waseca County Courthouse.
During his speech, Minnesota Legislative District 19B Representative and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Tom Sexton made reference to a reading of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address given by Waseca High School student Violet Rohwer prior to his turn to speak. He shared that, during the infamously brutal battle at Gettysburg, the 260 soldiers of the First Minnesota regiment of the Union Army were sent to hold back a force of more than 1,200 soldiers who were in the process of creating what would be a devastating gap in the Union lines. Though from their position on Cemetery Ridge they could easily see the odds they were facing, the Regiment charged and proved itself over and over again while other units were rallied, prepared, and then sent to join them. Fewer than 50 members of the First Minnesota walked away unharmed.
Sexton indicated the Civil War cannon and the nearby plaque which shows, in bronze, the names of Waseca County residents who volunteered. Saying they were sons, husbands, and fathers from families both long established and newly arrived, Sexton pointed out they answered the call to serve. Some of them listed there, he went on to say, had doubtless been among the soldiers of the First Minnesota.
Before the Monday morning program began, Scouts from Waseca area groups were moving among the crowd distributing programs and small flags. A parade featured honor guards from the Waseca American Legion, V.F.W. and Legion Auxiliary, the Marching Jays and their Color Guard, the Waseca County Sheriff’s Posse, and the scouts, all accompanied by trucks from area fire departments.
The High School band and the Waseca High School male and female sextets presented “The Star Spangled Banner.” The sextets also performed “Homeward Bound” and “America.”
The Trace Adkins song “Empty Chair” was sung by John and Simon Hoehn.
A rifle squad salute and the playing of Taps concluded the program.
