by Therese Horvat
Special to The Leaven
In tribute to veterans — living and deceased — Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas will host special ceremonies on Nov. 11 at two locations. The Veterans Day observances are scheduled at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Topeka and at Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa.
Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Topeka
At Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 801 S.W. Westchester Road, the American Legion Band will perform a prelude of patriotic music starting at 9 a.m. The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Trinity Mausoleum Chapel with a welcome by Sharon Vallejo, president of Catholic Cemeteries. Father Tim Haberkorn, pastor of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish, Topeka, will offer the invocation. The presentation of colors by the Topeka Police Department Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums Band will follow. Sgt. Jayme Green, Topeka Police Department, will sing the national anthem. Anthems honoring the five branches of the Armed Forces will be performed by the American Legion Band.
Retired Lt. Col. Pat Fontaine, Holton, will be the featured guest speaker. Fontaine is a combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served 26 years in infantry, logistics and command positions. His career assignments included tours with all three Marine divisions; Air Wing and Support assignments; and Headquarters Marine Corps and the Pentagon. He had numerous deployments to the Mediterranean, Norway, Europe, Korea and Western Pacific nations, as well as the Middle East.
The observance will close with guests invited to join in a prayer for veterans followed by the honor guard playing taps.
Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa
Starting at 1:30 p.m. at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira Road, patriotic music by the American Legion Band will precede the program. The 2 p.m. program in Prince of Peace Mausoleum Chapel will begin with a welcome by Vallejo. Father Michael Hermes, pastor of St. Paul Parish, Olathe, will offer the invocation. The Lenexa Police Department Honor Guard will present the colors. Chriss Scherer, American Legion Band, will sing the national anthem. The band will perform the service songs of each of the different branches of the military.
Col. Mark O. Scott will make guest remarks. Commissioned as a military intelligence officer in 1983, he served with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, until he left active duty in late 1988. Scott also served in the U.S. Army Reserves as an intelligence officer and physician.
He joined the Kansas Army National Guard and was commissioned as a medical corps officer in 2019. Prior to taking command of the Kansas Army National Guard medical detachment, he was the division surgeon for the 35th Infantry Division at Fort Leavenworth. Scott deployed as part of Task Force Spartan in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2022. Board-certified in emergency medicine, he currently practices at a community hospital in the Kansas City area.
Following his remarks, guests will be invited to join in a prayer for veterans. Three volleys and taps played by members of American Legion Post 370 will close the program.
