Citizens urged to take care of veterans in need at annual ceremony in Lynn

LYNN – More than 100 North Shore veterans and their families and friends gathered in Lynn Tuesday night to honor the women and men who, as Abraham Lincoln once said, “gave the last full measure of their devotion to our nation.”Coleman Nee, the commonwealth’s Secretary of Veterans’ Services, quoted Lincoln in his keynote speech at the city’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony, held at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Lynn City Hall.”Massachusetts has a proud tradition of caring for our nation’s veterans,” Nee said, singling out Lynn as a city that has taken exceptional care of its residents who have served in the armed forces.The City of Lynn has held a ceremony honoring area veterans “as far as anyone can remember,” according to Lynn’s Veterans Services Director Michael Sweeney. Tuesday’s ceremony marked the beginning of North Shore Memorial Day events.Click to view a calendar of Memorial Day events.Nee honored Sweeney and his staff, Mary Lopresti, for their service to Lynn’s veterans. He said they turn words into actions by providing exceptional medical and support services to the city’s veterans.”Remembering is not enough,” Nee said.Korean veteran and Lynn resident Joseph Doherty, who attended the service with his wife, said Lynn has done a better job than history has of taking care of its returning heroes. He said Lopresti helped him acquire a hearing aid.”History doesn’t talk enough about veterans,” he said. ” ? Lynn does a very good job to help veterans and they don’t forget them.”Sweeney said the annual Memorial Day ceremony helps keeps the spirit of helping veterans alive.View a photo gallery of the ceremony.”By honoring the people who came before us, you in a real way honor the people who are serving today,” he said. “You let them know it’s not just words when you say, ?We’ll never forget your sacrifice.'”This year’s ceremony featured patriotic hymns sung by Gail Bastarache, a medley of American songs performed by the Lynn English High School band and a drill presentation by Lynn English’s Marine Corps Jr. ROTC. James DePhilippo, MC and Grand Marshall of the upcoming Memorial Day parade, was also honored for his participation in Memorial Day events.Veterans in attendance were honored with a blue-star flag, and family of those who couldn’t be present tonight because they gave their lives for America were honored with a gold-star flag.Agnes Raymond and Raymond Harris were two gold-star families.Harris and his wife Rosalie of Swampscott lost their only daughter, Marine Capt. Jennifer Harris, in February 2007 when a missile slammed into the helicopter she was riding in that was carrying wounded soldiers back to safety. Jennifer was thrown to the ground.”That was her,” he said, pulling out a worn wallet with Jennifer’s picture in it.Raymond lost her 20-year-old grandson, Army Spc. Jared Raymond, in 2007 when a roadside bomb planted on the Iraqi roads he was patrolling “threw his tank like a frisbee into the air.” Jared was the first soldier from Swampscott to die.Both Raymond and Harris said they were honored to attend Lynn’s Memorial Day Ceremony to honor their fallen grandson and daughter.”It’s so nice for them to be remembered,” Raymond said. “I don’t get sick of it at all.”Harris said he could feel his daughter in the auditorium with him.”They’re here with us. Everywhere we go, they’re here with us,” he said.Another presence felt Tuesday night was that of John L. Ramsey, who died on Memorial Day 44 years ago. His sister, Lynn resident Catherine Palm, said Ramsey died four months shy of his 19th birthday when he was blown out of his helicopter in Vietnam.She said she never forgets her brother, so it’s a joy to know that others remember him as well.”It’s really nice we don’t forget,” she said.Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].