NW Illinois News

Illinois State Sen. Neil Anderson recently observed Memorial Day and reminded residents to remember the holiday's purpose of honoring the nation's veterans and their sacrifices. 

"As we celebrate #MemorialDay may we remember that it is so much more than a day off," Anderson wrote in a May 30 Facebook post. "It's not the unofficial start to summer, it's not just another 3-day weekend, it is instead a day to remember and honor the brave men and women who lost their lives defending our country. May we remember their valor and their sacrifices every day."

On May 26, Anderson had the opportunity to meet a Gold Star Family to honor a fallen warrior who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

"Ahead of Memorial Day, I was able to attend a Gold Star ceremony for a Marie Nelsen in honor of her late husband David Derry," Anderson wrote in a May 26 Facebook post. "Derry was killed in action in March of 1968. Derry's service to our country will not be forgotten."

Illinois resident General John A. Logan is widely credited as the first person to declare Memorial Day an official Holiday, according to Journal Courier. A celebration in Carbondale, on April 29, 1866, is thought to be the first community-wide observance of Decoration Day, and 212 veterans from the area participated.

What we now know as Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. The first Decoration Day occurred on May 30, 1868, a few years after the end of the Civil War. According to History.com, the day was created "by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, the first major Memorial Day observance is held to honor those who died “in defense of their country during the late rebellion.”