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Memorial Day observed in Great Falls

Posted at 4:41 PM, May 29, 2017
and last updated 2018-08-29 19:25:27-04

Scores of people turned out at the Montana Veterans Memorial in Great Falls on Monday to honor and remember the men and women who died serving our nation.

This year’s keynote speaker was Diane Carlson Evans, a former U.S. Army nurse.

She served in Vietnam and is the founder of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington D.C.

Evans says she believes sharing the stories of those that have served is important, so that they are not forgotten.

Evans said she spent many years trying to build the women’s memorial but there was a lot of opposition to it: "I thought, how could people not support us who served in the military, but they did not understand what we had done. It was all about unearthing and uncovering the stories. Also getting women to tell their stories and then the public will understand." 

She says that Memorial Day is a time for reflection and to share the stories of those that could not come home. 

Also during the ceremony, former Great Falls Mayor Michael Winters was presented with the regional and state Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award.

The award was presented by the Black Eagle-Assinniboine Chapter and Montana State Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

Winters was picked for the award because of his of the volunteer work he continues to honor and support the military.