Dragoon Tyrone Crowley and his wife Carol, together with 30-40 other members of SCV Camps
from across the River Region, attended the 156th Annual Program of the Ladies Memorial
Association at Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery on Tuesday 26 April 2022 at 2 p.m. It was
an impressive and moving ceremony, presided over in fine manner by LMA President Mrs.
Leslie Kirk. Colonel John Eidsmoe began the ceremony with a powerful Confederate Memorial
Day Prayer, thanking Heaven for our ancestors and urging that we never forget what they left
us nor abandon the memory of those who later died to preserve what was left us by the
Founding Fathers. After the Color Guard posted the colors, Mrs. Loretta Martin, President of
the Cradle of the Confederacy UDC Chapter #94 and two other UDC members led us in
salutes to the Christian Flag, the U. S. Flag, the Alabama State Flag, and the Confederate Flag,
after which we all sang “Dixie”. Mrs. Kirk then introduced special guests Alabama Secretary of
State John Merrill and Montgomery City Council President Charles Jinright, who are faithful
supporters of this memorial service. Mrs. Kirk gave a brief but moving speech lamenting the
prejudice and persecution suffered by those who support Confederate Heritage but pledging to
continue to dedicate her life and efforts to perpetuating the tradition of holding the LMA
Ceremony each April as has been done since 1866, and urging us all to do the same. Then she
introduced the guest speaker, Secretary of State John Merrill. Mr. Merrill first spoke at the LMA
Ceremony several years ago and was immediately attacked for doing so by local news media,
but responded by returning every year since, even though this year he and Councilman Jinright
were told the LMA would understand if he didn’t come. Both men replied, “I’ll be there”, and
both spoke about the importance of remembering our ancestors and the heritage they left us.
- Tyrone Crowley, Prattville Dragoons
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