Crowd at Memorial Day 2008, courtesy Voila Photography
We had a great turnout for Memorial Day at the old Pioneer Cemetery in Sylmar on May 25, 2009. The Daily News ran our promotion, and we had lots of new people from all over the Valley who visited and learned more about the San Fernando Valley Historical Society and the historic old Cemetery. Each year we get a few more people, and lots of comebacks to hear our all-volunteer hometown and heartfelt tribute to our fallen troops.
Pioneer Cemetery in Sylmar is where 5 Civil War veterans are buried along with more than 600 early pioneers of the San Fernando Valley. A special remembrance was made for Edie Reber, longtime caretaker of the cemetery who passed away on May 15 just shy of her 99th birthday.
My personal thanks to Bobby Arias, Communities in Schools; Jim Sullivan, LA Lutheran Middle & High School; Dan Rosales, Chief Aide to Councilman Richard Alarcón; Stefni Valencia, singer extraordinaire; Craig Mathias, bagpiper; and Assemblyman Cameron Smyth for being part of our program. Special thanks to Sylmar resident Ivan Forbes who sang a medley of branch military songs to recognize members of the audience who served or are serving in uniform.
Other thanks to Joyce Gaynor, Wally Kendig, and Alma Wade of the Pioneer Cemetery Committee, and John Brooks, president of the historical society, as well as special thanks to volunteers Javier Cueva and David Vasquez for their tireless efforts to keep the cemetery weed free and looking good. We invite you to join us next year for our Sylmar event, the only Memorial Day observance scheduled in the Northeast San Fernando Valley.
Click here to see the program hand out from the 2009 Memorial Day Observance at the old Pioneer Cemetery.
Thank you,
Jacky Walker
Century 21 All Moves
818-970-1286
Co-Chair, Pioneer Cemetery Committee
San Fernando Valley Historical Society
