Islanders brave rain to honor, gather on Memorial Day
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Hundreds of islanders marked Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, with a ceremony at Vashon Cemetery and a rainy community gathering along Bank Road.
About 150 people gathered at the cemetery for the island’s Memorial Day veterans ceremony, according to King County Cemetery District No. 1 Commissioner Catherine Sullivan.
The ceremony, led by VFW/American Legion Commander Roy Bumgarner, honored veterans and those who died in service to the nation. The Judd Creek Gospel Singers performed patriotic and inspirational songs, while bagpiper John Dally and bugler Matt Stevenson, of the Vashon Community Street Band, added solemn musical tributes.
Guest speaker Ann Stewart Linsley, of the Vashon Senior Center, gave a presentation on the World War II Women Airforce Service Pilots program, known as WASP, recognizing the contributions of women pilots during the war.
Afterward, the Vashon Heritage Museum offered guided walking tours through the cemetery, highlighting the lives and military service of local residents buried there.
“The Memorial Day gathering served as a meaningful opportunity for the community to come together in remembrance, gratitude and patriotism,” Sullivan said in an email.
Later in the day, the Vashon Senior Center, Vashon Heritage Museum and Vashon Island Fire & Rescue teamed up for a Memorial Day block party along Bank Road.
At the Senior Center, more than 200 people attended the center’s second annual Community BBQ in its Memorial Garden, according to Maria Glanz, executive director of the Vashon Senior Center. The crowd exceeded expectations, she said, especially given the rain.
“We ran out of hot dogs, buns, coleslaw and made at least three raced trips to IGA to get more,” Glanz said in an email.
Riverbend played under a canopy as people gathered inside and outside the center.
The event also marked the one-year anniversary of the Senior Center’s renovated Memorial Garden, originally built in 1946 in remembrance of Tom and Ladd Bacchus, two brothers killed during World War II.
The center also launched a campaign to add new engraved leaves to its Giving Tree, created with local artist Nan Leiter to honor veterans, island businesses and community members.
Down the street, the Heritage Museum hosted lawn games, while Vashon Island Fire & Rescue opened its station for visitors to see fire trucks up close.
Glanz said the block party format seemed to draw people in, bringing together longtime regulars, new seniors, families and other new faces.
“What’s a little rain when there’s good food, great music and wonderful company?” Glanz said.
