Royal Oak Parade focuses on significance of Memorial Day

ROYAL OAK — Memorial Day is coming up on May 27, and the city of Royal Oak has been hard at work planning the annual Memorial Day Parade.

The parade is set to begin at 9 a.m. starting on Main Street at Lincoln Avenue and heading north through Centennial Commons. Immediately following the parade, there will be a Memorial Day service.

Judy Davids, community engagement specialist for the city of Royal Oak, said that there will also be an all-you-can-eat breakfast before the parade at 7 a.m. hosted by the Royal Oak Historical Society.

The pancake breakfast will be from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and located at the Royal Oak Farmers Market. Adults cost $10 and kids 10 and under cost $5 for entry. The proceeds will go to the Royal Oak Historical Society.

“We encourage people that are either coming to watch the parade or if they are participating in the parade to stop by and have some pancakes,” Davids said.

This year, there will be a few additions to the parade and the ceremony following.

One major addition to the celebration will be the unveiling of the plaque at the Veterans War Memorial dedicated to veterans who lost their lives due to exposure to toxic chemicals or hazardous substances.

The plaque will read, “In memory of the men and women who served in the military and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their service.”

During the parade, Davids said attendees can expect to see some exciting new groups to honor veterans. The parade will be adding Cass Tech High School to the mix, as well as an Army marching band.

“This year, we even have a group of patriotic skateboarders. I’m not sure what that is going to look like, but they will be good,” she said, laughing.

The grand marshal for the 2024 Memorial Day Parade will be 100-year-old Gladys Waters, a WWII veteran.

Waters served for four years driving trucks in convoys, taking them from Fort Wayne, where she was stationed, to the points where they would be shipped overseas, according to her daughter, Ruth Gauci.

“She has always been really proud of the time that she served,” Gauci said. “And it was important to her that we feel proud of her as well.”

Waters will be accompanied by her family, and she will ride through the parade on a Model T.

Lois Mann will also be walking the parade as the first parade ambassador. Mann’s brother’s name is on the Veterans War Memorial, and the parade has always been very meaningful to her, according to Davids.

Mann has been a familiar face in the Royal Oak community, as she has been a kindergarten teacher at Oak Ridge Elementary for 50 years. She will be walking the parade with her kindergarten students by her side.

Royal Oak will also be putting up 189 flags at Centennial Commons to represent each person who lived in Royal Oak or called Royal Oak their hometown and who died in service to the country.

The flags will be up for a whole week, and the Sunday following Memorial Day, June 2, there will be a ceremony where each name on the Veterans War Memorial will be read off and a bell will be rung.

Davids said that each year Royal Oak tries to think of new and exciting ways to amplify the parade, and she thinks this year is going to be one to remember.

“We always try to bring back the significance of Memorial Day,” she said. “I can assure you, if you live in Royal Oak, you probably have somebody (who lived) in your neighborhood who gave their life for our country.”

For people in the parade, Davids said they are encouraged to park at the Royal Oak Farmers Market. People who are planning to attend the parade should know that parking is free all day on Monday.