A small crowd gathered at the Suffield Veterans Memorial on a bright, cool, sunny, Sunday morning at 11 o’clock on the 11th day of the 11th month. They were there to celebrate the armistice ending World War I and honor those who served in all wars. Exactly on the hour the First Church bell across the Green tolled the time, and the ceremony began.
Jim Hunter, U. S. Army, Ret., now Commander of the local VFW Post 9544, welcomed everyone and introduced First Selectman Melissa Mack, who spoke briefly about our veterans in general and specifically about Capt. Justin Donnelly, USMC, Ret., who died in January after notable service in the Marines and valuable service to Suffield as a Town official and in a number of other key roles.
Joann Rhoades followed with a prayer, and Gene Skowron marched solemnly to place the traditional commemorative wreath at the base of the Memorial. The observance concluded with the three-man VFW honor guard firing their salute to the dead, twice.
Appropriately, the ceremony ended at 11:11.