Tamaqua’s 2015 Memorial Day Parade will be held Monday, May 25, 2015 at 10 AM. The parade will form in the last block of East Broad Street in the area of the former CVS and Maff Motors. Participants are asked to be there no later than 9:45 AM and upon arrival, should check in with one of the parade coordinators to find their designated location in the line-up.
Tamaqua native John Carl Hafer Sr., a WWII veteran, has been named Grand Marshal of the parade. Hafer served in the U.S. Navy as a Seaman 1st Class, Specialist T. During his service period of 1944 to 1946, he was stationed at the Sampson Training Station Fight Training School in Atlanta, Georgia and the Auxiliary Flight Base in Westerly, Rhode Island teaching both Navy and Air Force pilots the techniques of instrument flying. Hafer is retired from a 34-year career at Lucent Technologies in Allentown. He has been married to Jean (Fisher) Hafer for 72 years and has four children: Ester Jean Borascius, Joseph Ted Hafer, Gregory Hafer, and Cpl. John Carl Hafer, Jr. (deceased). Carl and Jean are proud grandparents of 7 grand children, 4 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Hafer is a 60-year member of the American Legion C.W. Berry Post #173, a life member of the Knights of Columbus Father Henry Baker Council and the Schuylkill Assembly, a member of the Black Diamond Navy Club of Minersville, a life member of the South Ward Fire Company, Tamaqua, and a member of St. John XXIII Church of Tamaqua. In June of 2010, he was bestowed the honors of placing a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Arlington National Cemetery. Carl and Jean live in Tamaqua.
The 147th Annual Memorial Day Service will be held at Soldiers’ Circle in Odd Fellow’s Cemetery starting at 11 AM. Color guard of the Tamaqua American Legion C.H. Berry Post 173 will render honors. The service, which honors all deceased veterans, will include the reading of the names of those Tamaqua area veterans who passed away since the previous Memorial Day. The service also includes patriotic selections by the high school band and a balloon release in memory of departed veterans. Participants will include Vicar Cindy White, Grand Marshall John C. Hafer, Poppy Queen Ava Murray, BPW Young Women of the Year award winners Jillian Franko and Rachel Keich, Schuylkill County Dairy Princess Hannah Miller, members of the Tamaqua American Legion C.H. Berry Post 173, Tamaqua Area Raider Marching Band, Tamaqua Area High School Student Council, the Canton Allentown #39 Patriarch’s Militant, and guest speaker Tonia (Stahl) Barron.
Tonia Barron of Tamaqua will serve as the featured speaker for the service. A Tamaqua native and veteran of the U. S. Army and PA Army National Guard, Tonia retired as a Sergeant First Class (SFC) on November 30, 2014 after 23 years of service. Throughout her career, Tonia held multiple positions including Personnel NCO, Supply Sergeant, Medical Supply and Unit Armorer to name a few. In 2008-2009, Tonia served as the Medical Operations NCO for the 56th Stryker Brigade, 28th Infantry Division in Taji, Iraq. In May 2013, she graduated from Cedar Crest College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is currently employed at Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital as an Emergency Room Nurse. She is pursuing a dual Master’s degree from Wilkes University in Nursing Education and Nurse Executive. Tonia is married to Robert W. Barron, Jr. and together they have two boys, Alexander age 12 and Nicholas age 8. They live in Walker Township.
This year’s Tamaqua American Legion Poppy Queen will be Ava Murray, daughter of Brian and Melanie (Perla) Murray of Tamaqua. She is the granddaughter of Craig (a Vietnam veteran) and Linda Murray of Sinking Spring, and Eugene and Margaret Perla of Tamaqua. Ava attends the 1st grade at Rush Elementary in the Tamaqua School District, is a member of the Junior Auxiliary of the American Legion, and is active with USA martial arts and karate. (story)
The two Tamaqua Business and Professional Women’s Young Woman of the Year winners are Rachel Keich and Jillian Franko. Rachel is the daughter of John and Jeanine Keich of Hometown. She will attend Albright College and major in Accounting and Business Management. Rachel is a class officer and a member of the Tamaqua Area Student Government, the Leadership Council, the National Honor Society, the English National Honor Society, and the Math National Honor Society. Upon beginning her professional career, she intends on making community involvement a priority. Jillian Franko is the daughter of Joseph and Celeste Franko of Tamaqua. She is will attend Lehigh Carbon Community College and major in Accounting. Jillian is a member of the Biology Club, the National Honor Society, the Drama Club, the Math National Honor Society, and the National English Honor Society. In addition to pursuing her professional career, she hopes to continue her interests in art and writing.
Cindy White is serving as Vicar for Zion Lutheran Church under the mentorship of Pastor Virginia Goodwin. A native Philadelphian, she, her husband, and three children resided in the Allentown area for 20 years and recently moved to Tamaqua to serve as Vicar. She is a Temple University graduate with a degree in Social work and is currently attending Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg.
Also participating in the parade this year is Hannah Miller, Schuylkill County’s Dairy Princess. Hannah is the daughter of Russel and Christine Miller of Tamaqua. She has finished her second year in LCCC’s nursing program, works at the Tamaqua Public Library, and belongs to the West Penn 4H Club.
The parade will be held rain or shine. In the event of rain, however, the Memorial Day service will be held at the Tamaqua Community Arts Center at 125 Pine Street, Tamaqua. If the service is relocated to the Community Arts Center, the announcement will be made as early as possible on the Facebook pages of the Zizelmann-Roche Funeral Home, the American Legion C.H. Berry, Post 173, the American Legion Honor Guard and the TamaquaArea.com website. The announcement will also be made on WMGH.
Following the service at Odd Fellows, members of the Tamaqua American Legion will hold a second service around 12 PM in front of the post, 206 West Broad Street.
Any organizations interested in joining the parade can do so by contacting Dave Meredith at (570) 668-3356.