Ross County & Chillicothe — Several annual events to commemorate those who died in service — the reason for Memorial Day since the Civil War — are leading up to and happening on the day on Monday, May 25th, 2026.
Bob Leach, the leader of many local veterans activities and a local military historian, gave me the run-down, as well as descriptions of the various events and efforts.
Retired Army Ranger Lt. Col. Robert Leach is the commander of the Ross County Veterans Honor Guard, Quartermaster of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 108, and Chaplain of the American Legion Post 62. He also works with Johna Pulver of the Ross County Veterans Commission, who fulfills state-mandated services to veterans and more.
The Veterans Honor Guard makes a circuit of Chillicothe and several Ross County cemeteries on every Memorial Day – paying tribute with a rifle salute and taps – from 9am to about 2:30pm (see the list below).
But those cemeteries must be prepared by having flags refreshed at every veteran’s grave. That has already been done in Floral Hills Memory Garden (now managed by Huntington Township).
Next will be Greenlawn Cemetery in Chillicothe’s east side, starting at 9am on Saturday, May 16th. “Flagging” will be coordinated by VFW Post 108, but volunteers are welcome to help with the 2,832 veteran graves…and will then be welcome to lunch at about 11am.
Then a week later, Grandview will be flagged starting at 9am at the bandstand. Londonderry, Mt. Carmel, and Concord cemeteries will also be flagged on May 23rd, all starting at 9am at AmVets Post 4.
An accent at Grandview on Memorial Day will be Civil War interpreters of the Enderlin Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans, who give authentic musket salutes on their short tour of prominent Civil War veterans graves. Their authentic band will also play before the ceremony.
In the meantime, the Veterans Honor Guard will continue on to their brief ceremonies in St. Margaret and Greenlawn cemeteries in Chillicothe, and then out into the county, ending at Rowland Cemetery near the Ross County Fairgrounds at 1pm.
Separate Memorial Day events include an 11am ceremony at Hallsville Cemetery, one of the largest in the county, featuring a 10:30am concert by the Adelphi Community Band, as well as an appearance by the Ross County Honor Guard.
The other separate event on Memorial Day is the annual parade in Bainbridge at 2pm.
The Feast of the Flowering Moon is in Chillicothe’s Yoctangee Park on Memorial Day weekend. It hosts a parade starting at 4:30pm on Saturday, May 23rd. Before then will be a 3pm ceremony in Veterans Memorial Park on Yoctangee Boulevard.
Listen to the three-part video with Lt. Col. Leach below for more details and context, as well as the flyers from the Ross County Veterans Commission. See also the websites and Facebook pages of various veterans groups and posts.
Also learn more about the Ross County Veterans Commission in “Ross County Veterans Commission Serves Those Who Served; Concerned About Funding.” The best way to find out what benefits veterans have a right to is to come in to their office in the Ross County Service Center at 475 Western Avenue. You can also phone 740 / 772-1600 or visit their website or Facebook page.
A list of Memorial Day and related events, from the Ross County Veterans Commission:
A list of 2026 events to place new flags on veterans graves.
