HEBER CITY — During a holiday typically marked by memorial services, pancake breakfasts and family gatherings, Utahns fanned across the state Monday to celebrate Memorial Day amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A number of traditional events were canceled this year including the Memorial Day service put on by the Freedom Festival and the Provo City Veterans Council. Others, like the Wasatch County Memorial Day program, were funneled into a different format conducive to social distancing — like a drive-by tribute.
Cars buzzing with people glittered in the sun as they cruised slowly along the road leading to Heber City’s Veterans Memorial Park Monday morning. American flags lined each side of the street, poles jutting out of the grass as the red and white stripes curled and rippled in the wind.
Signs adorned with photos of veterans dotted a patch of grass near the end of the drive-by. Red, white and blue balloons tethered to a handful of the signs bobbed lazily.
The signs were made by veterans’ family members, aided by the county and several event sponsors, said Adaire Willoughby, Wasatch County Parks and Recreation director of marketing.
“We want our community to have a place where they can come and memorialize our veterans, our fallen Wasatch County veterans, and just really a place for our community to go,” she said.
Willoughby explained the Wasatch County Parks and Recreation department holds a memorial service each year to honor veterans, but because of COVID-19 they had to pull something else together this year. Working in tandem with the county council, organizers came up with the idea to hold a drive-by tribute instead.
Organizers also partnered with a local radio station so cars driving past could tune in and listen to an audio stream honoring veterans.
Willoughby said she’s received a number of messages from the community thankful for the opportunity the drive-by tribute provided them to “feel the spirit” and purpose of Memorial Day.
Jennifer Bosshardt and her family opted to ride their bikes down the street rather than drive. They pulled off onto the grass when they came across the collection of signs at the end of the road.
“We wanted to go down to a memorial for my dad, but we thought it would be wiser to not go and be with everybody sharing everything,” Bosshardt said. “We thought we’d come and bike ride through the memorial road instead.”
She said her family generally attends the program hosted by the county each year, but in lieu of their traditional plans she feels OK with what they’ve done instead, because while Memorial Day is “a neat day” she remembers her father every day.
For others, this year’s celebration doesn’t look too different from what they traditionally do.
Mike Jenson said Memorial Day this year isn’t different for him because he’s spending it with his family and friends.
He said he loved driving through the tribute and listening to the recordings with his family.
As the day crept on more people started parking after driving through the display to walk up to the Heber Valley Railroad train, which was located on the side of the street. There, families boarded the trains wearing masks and largely keeping their distance from one another.
The Heber Valley Railroad holds an event each Memorial Day weekend called the Wild West Days Train where families can ride the historic Heber Creeper train and listen to live entertainment.
Heber Valley Railroad Executive Director Mark Nelson said thousands of people typically attend the event, but this year the number of passengers has been significantly decreased because of coronavirus.
Gesturing to the five passenger cars, Nelson said on a typical day the train could hold about 300 people at a time. Today, he said, it only carries 150 people because passengers need to be spread out.
Nelson said he’s happy they are still able to hold the Memorial Day event despite the diminished crowds.
Camille Westover said her Memorial Day plans this year consist of riding the Heber Creeper and visiting a few family members’ gravesites.
She said the biggest difference this year is they aren’t gathering as an extended family in order to keep groups smaller.
“Even though the circumstances are different, it still feels like a time where we can still honor people that have passed on,” she said. “Not too different, but maybe more memorable where we might think more of it as a time where we reflect.”
Although wreath laying ceremonies were canceled, hundreds of Utahns visited the Utah Veterans Cemetery in Bluffdale throughout the day to pay tribute to loved ones buried there.
Families and friends wandered the green lawns of the cemetery, planting flags and placing flowers. Some sat around the headstones of their dead loved ones and shared stories; others wandered around, stopping every now and then at different gravesites.
Several visitors said they usually come to the cemetery for its annual wreath laying ceremony, but the event was canceled this year due to the pandemic. Instead, people were encouraged to bring flowers and mementos to the gravesites while maintaining social distancing.
“Every day is Memorial Day for us because we think about (our son) everyday,” said Amy Galvez, a mother whose son is buried at the veterans cemetery.
She and her husband, Tony Galvez, were visiting the resting place of their son Adam, who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq.
The Galvezes are a Gold Star family, and they said they usually do speeches at schools around the Salt Lake Valley to honor their son. However, they were unable to do so because classes were moved online in March and didn’t resume their normal functions before the school year ended.
“Today is meaningful to us, and we ask that others remember those who have served,” Tony said.
Christine George visited the gravesite of her husband, who served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam.
She said her family usually comes to the cemetery to see the wreath laying ceremony and was disappointed that it didn’t happen this year.
Barbara Papenfuss visited her husband Bruce Papenfuss’ gravesite. He served in the Marine Corps in Korea and died stateside in 2013.
“(Memorial Day) is a day to remember people and appreciate their service,” Barbara said about visiting her husband. She was joined by her son Scott.
A lone bagpiper began playing in an empty section of the cemetery near the visitors center. Megan Kennedy brought her pipes out to pay tribute to her grandfather and because she wasn’t able to play in the annual ceremonies.
Jim Coleman, a Vietnam veteran, pulled his suburban up and asked Kennedy if she would play “Amazing Grace” for him. She obliged.
Coleman was a member of the Army’s military police and said he was there to visit a friend when Kennedy started playing.
“I love the bagpipes,” Coleman said, “especially when they play ‘Amazing Grace.’”
Crowds were small in the morning hours but picked up significantly in the afternoon. Cars lined the streets of the cemetery and spilled out onto Redwood Road. Throngs of people wandered the grounds.
Groups mainly kept to themselves and kept space between each other, though few people were wearing masks.
