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CENTRAL POINT Crowd gathers in Central Point for Memorial Day commemoration Crowd gathers on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifice of servicemen and women Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted May. 25, 2015 at 1:23 PM Updated May 25, 2015 at 1:37 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted May. 25, 2015 at 1:23 PM Updated May 25, 2015 at 1:37 PM » Social News At the close of Central Point's annual Memorial Day commemoration ceremony at Don Jones Memorial Park, onlookers ranging in ages from elementary school to senior citizens, and totaling about 150, followed emcee Dennis Richardson's simple request. "Please take a few moments to recognize the names on each of these monuments," Richardson told the crowd, noting that each name paid the ultimate sacrifice. Etched in the marble of the Oregon Fallen War Heroes Memorial, Sharon Jellison of Shady Cove found the carving of her high school classmate, John E. Wibbens, who was killed in the Vietnam War. "We always stood in line together," she recalled, thinking particularly about her high school graduation with him, her maiden name being near his alphabetically. "He was a very, very dear friend and a good classmate." The ceremony included addresses from Republican Rep. Greg Walden and Democrat senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. Each touched on the great sacrifice servicemen and women have made. Rep. Walden touched on the return of southwestern Oregon's 186th Infantry from Afghanistan before drawing attention to those names upon the memorial walls. "To them a simple thank you is never enough," Walden said. Merkley drew from the words of President John F. Kennedy and referenced the foundation of the first Memorial Day, but the moment he took to honor military families was a point that seemed to linger. "We know when our servicemen depart, their families deploy with them," Merkley said. Wyden noted the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Vietnam War, and commended Southern Oregon for how clearly the area honors veterans, citing the welcome signs in Jackson, Josephine and Douglas counties and the beauty of the memorial park. "It's all about two words: unadulterated gratitude," Wyden said. The speakers' points all seemed to shine through Irene Hogan of Medford. Wearing her son's photograph proudly on her shirt, she found the matching engraving of his name on the memorial, Staff Sgt. Michael S. Zyla, who died in Iraq in 2005. "It's always hard for me because he was my baby," Hogan said. The large, reverent crowd honoring fallen veterans on a clear May morning gave Hogan comfort. "It's such a blessing to see this many," she said, looking on at the attendees. "Every year it grows." Hogan attends the ceremony every year, and pointed to two trees she donated near the gazebo in her son's honor. "Those are our Michael trees," she said, noting the tree on the left was prospering. "They're doing really well." She carries deep gratitude to the men and women who serve her country. "If you ever see a military person, I go and give them a hug," she said. Richardson, a former Oregon gubernatorial candidate and former Southern Oregon represenative, and Russ McBride of the Southern Oregon Veterans Benefit spoke about plans to expand the memorial park with a 368-foot replica of the travelling Vietnam War memorial at the event. "Our goal is to have it at our park this time next year," McBride told the crowd. He encouraged those interested in contributing to the effort to see www.sovb.org . Nick Morgan is a news aide at the Mail Tribune. Reach him at 541-776-4477 or email [email protected]. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted May. 25, 2015 at 1:23 PM Updated May 25, 2015 at 1:37 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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