The person most conspicuous by his absence at this year’s 148th Memorial Day services will be Jim Saddler. In years past, probably no one was more high-profile at the Memorial Day events than Saddler, the Memorial Day Association’s longtime president, master of ceremonies and dedicated Officer.

This years services will be held in Saddler’s honor. He passed away July 31, 2015. Saddler actively served in the Korean War as an aviation structural mechanic aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid CVA11 and was honorably discharged from The United States Naval Reserve as a hall technician chief petty officer after 36 years of active and reserve service time.

The morning will start off at 9 a.m. with a POW-MIA Memorial services at Tracy Park. The services will be hosted by the Scioto County Veterans Service Commission with Terry Minch of the Scioto County Veterans Service Commission serving as master of ceremonies.

The annual Memorial Day Parade will step off promptly at 10 a.m. at Tracy Park and will travel south on Chillicothe Street, east on Gallia Street then north on Offnere Street to Greenlawn Cemetery.

Grand Marshal Harley Ellis who served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, will lead the first division. The second division will start off with the Honorary Grand Marshal Wayne Pollard. Pollard actively served in the United States Navy during World War II. Featured speaker, Portsmouth Police Chief Robert Ware will start the third division. Ware actively served in the United States Navy during Desert Shield/Desert Storm and during Enduring Freedom/ Iraqi Freedom and is currently assigned to military Sealift Command Expeditionary Port Unit 113 Fort Worth Texas as a chief petty officer.

Greenlawn Cemetery will again be the location for the Memorial Day Services which should begin around 11:15 a.m. At its conclusion, starting at 1 p.m. on the Ohio Riverfront, will be the Lost at Sea Memorial Service dedicated to all of the men and women who lost their lives at sea while actively serving in the United States Military.

Starting at 2 p.m. at the Portsmouth Central Fire Station on Gallia Street. The Portsmouth Fire Department officers and firefighters will host a Lost in the Line of Duty Memorial Service for firefighters who lost their lives while on duty and serving the citizens of Portsmouth, Ohio.

The Scioto County Memorial Day Association would also like to encourage all local business, civic organizations and other groups to participate in this year’s parade,” Rich Saddler of the Scioto County Memorial Day Association said. “Applications can be obtained at the Scioto County Veterans Service Office located in the Courthouse Annex on 6th Street in Portsmouth. As always there is no entry fee to join us.”

In South Webster Monday – the Marty Staker 5K is at 9 a.m., the Memorial Day Parade at 11 a.m. and an Arts and Crafts Show at the Fire Station after the parade.

At 11 a.m. on Memorial Day there will be a parade in downtown Minford.

The Eyes of Freedom Memorial will visit Chillicothe’s Yoctangee Park Memorial Day Weekend. The traveling memorial, delivered by R+L Carriers, depicts the fallen of Columbus, Ohio based Lima Company 3/25, one of the hardest hit units in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 23 life-size portraits have become a traveling military tribute honoring those who have served thrir country. To learn more, visit www.EyesofFreedom.org.