Memorial Day and my Brothers

Memorial Day is known to many as the beginning of summer, a long weekend, a time to barbecue with family and friends and of course the Indy 500.  I must say I am guilty of those associations also.

What many don't know is Memorial Day actually commemorates men and women who died while serving in the US military and began as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War.

Although no one I know of in my family died during their military service, I would like to take a moment to recognize both of my brothers, William Gary Ehmke and Paul Allen Lanigan for their service to our country.

Gary was much older than me but I have this photo of him in uniform holding me when I was a little girl (yes, I was really that little curly blond) that I treasure.  He is now deceased but never gone from my memory.

My brother Al is alive and doing well in Alabama.  He is my hero.  The one person that loves me unconditionally and no matter what I do, it is not wrong in his eyes. I don't have a photo of him in uniform but wanted to show one of the two of us also.

To my brothers:   I love you both!