Honoring All Those That Served

Memorial Day. A day to remember those brave men and women that served in the military and are no longer with us.

Today while I was thinking about this upcoming weekend and remembering weekends in the past at Behnke’s, we would have beautiful hanging baskets and pots filled with red, white, and blue flowers for Memorial Day.

I keep hearing my mom, Sonja Behnke Festerling singing. Song after song during her last few days in December. The songs she sang were all of the songs from each branch of the military. And she knew every single word.

One day when mom was in PT at the nursing home, she looked at the physical therapist’s arm and said, “My brother has that same tattoo”! “Oh, was he a Marine, too?,” he asked. “Yes indeed, and my other two brothers were in the Air Force.” He asked her if there was any rivalry between them. And she proudly said NEVER! Then she started singing the Marines’ Hymn, “Halls of Montezuma.” LOUDLY! and he joined in. So many folks stopped in to listen as they sang most of the verses. Mom knew them all. Always loving the attention when people started clapping, she had a big old smile.

A few days later, when my Aunt Ele Behnke stopped by to see her, Mom was not talking much anymore. But while we were all sitting there, she started singing the Air Force’s “Wild Blue Yonder.” Her voice was getting softer and weaker, but still, she sang. She was so proud of her brothers and her country.

Maybe sometime this week, listen to the songs that so many have sung in the past and remember those heroes that are no longer with us.