Solemn Veterans Ceremony Recalls Key Figure who Passed Away
Palos Heights held its Veterans Day ceremony Monday.
The tradition of honoring Palos Heights veterans carried on Monday but did so without one perennial beacon.
Don Dahl, who passed away in September, was a driving organizer before the city's Memorial Day and Veterans Day celebration. A veteran from World War II, Dahl was active the local VFW and American Legion and is remembered the by community for his advocating of veterans.
Kathy Lovitt of Palos Heights spoke at the ceremony Monday morning outside City Hall about the loss, Dahl, and the emptiness from not seeing him help put together the Veterans Day ceremony.
"Don organized the Memorial and Veteran's Day ceremonies for, I don't know how many years," Lovitt said.
Lovitt first got to know him ten years ago when she asked to read a poem in remembrance of her father, who, like Dahl, was a World War II veteran, at a ceremony.
"Don agreed," Lovitt recalling. "'Just don't make it too long, he said.'"
Palos Heights' ceremony is intended as a tribute to all veterans, living and dead, whether they served in wars or during times of peace.
Many were ordinary citizens who answered the call of duty when it was time, said Ed Pahl, of the Orland-Palos VFW Post.
"Today, we honor all those who fought for our country, under our flag, and salute all of the many American veterans throughout our history who ... have placed their lives on the line for freedom," Pahl said.
Dahl, and veterans like him, remain an important part of any community.
Lovitt, in her speech, said she would be forever grateful for the chance to write a heartfelt essay for many of Palos Heights' ceremonies.
"Don Dahl was a good man," Lovitt said. And I, for one, will miss him greatly."
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