Breese and Carlyle honor fallen heroes on Memorial Day - Mike Funneman serves as guest speaker at Breese Legion

Mike Funneman of Teutopolis served as this year’s guest speaker during the Memorial Day service at Timmermann-Benhoff American Legion Post 252 in Breese Monday morning.    "To honor the legacy of the fallen, we should all commit to the freedom offered by the greatest nation on earth. A land where patriotism eclipses politics, where the American Flag is displayed proudly and frequently and where military veterans are society’s true celebrities. We must never forget the families of our fallen."
    Mike Funneman of Teutopolis spoke these words during the Memorial Day service at Timmermann-Benhoff American Legion Post 252 in Breese on Monday morning. Funneman served as the guest speaker at this year's Memorial Day program.
    Mike Funneman was born and raised in Teutopolis. After high school, he enlisted in the Army National Guard as an indirect fire infantryman. Over a 22-year career, Funneman was deployed to Europe for force protection following Sept. 11, 2001. He joined the American Legion in 2002 and retired in 2006.
    Funneman has served two terms as post commander and remains active in the post. At the district level, he has served as junior vice commander, senior vice commander, and commander, and served on three department committees.
    Mike and his wife Cindy have been married for 38 years and have three children: Jenna, Aaron and Brandon.
    During his speech, Funneman said that we need to be present for the families of the fallen warriors.
    "Long after the battlefield guns have been silenced and the bombs stop exploding, the children of our fallen warriors will still be missing a parent. Spouses will be without their life partners. Parents will continue to grieve for their heroic sons and daughters that died way too early," he said. "We need to be present for them, not just as members of The American Legion Family – but as American citizens. Nobody can replace these fallen heroes — especially in the eyes of their families — but we can offer shoulders to cry on, assistance with educational expenses and assurances that their loved one’s sacrifice will not be forgotten."
    Funneman said that there are many ways to honor the fallen. Breese Legion chaplain Robert Rosen and Arlene Holtgrave with the Breese Auxiliary place a wreath for the deceased.
    "While we can still enjoy recreational activities over Memorial Day weekend, we take this moment — this special moment — to remember the price that was paid for us to enjoy our American way of life. Remembering and honoring the legacies of those who didn’t make it back is the true meaning of Memorial Day."
    He added that "let us remember that tyrannical regimes have been toppled and genocides stopped because Americans sacrificed life and limb."
    "Let us remember that terrorist plots were foiled and killers brought to justice because Americans were willing to pay a high price. Let us remember that without a U.S. military, the world would be a far more oppressive and darker place. Let us remember that freedom has no greater friend than the American soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman and Space Force Guardian," he said.
    He said that we are here for the men and women who continue to lose their lives during operations in the Middle East.
    "From Bunker Hill to Baghdad, Americans from communities throughout the United States, such as Breese, have answered their nation’s call and made the ultimate sacrifice," he said. "They died, so others may live. It is an ethos shared by so many of America’s fallen heroes."
    He said that from those who absorbed the blast of a grenade while saving their friends, to those who died rescuing crew from a sinking ship, we take this day to reflect on ordinary Americans exhibiting extraordinary valor.
    "The true way to honor the fallen is to live in a way worthy of their sacrifice. That means strengthening our communities, helping our fellow veterans, supporting military families, and teaching the next generation what this day truly means," he said, adding that we must tell their stories, speak their names, and ensure that our children and grandchildren understand that the freedoms they inherit were paid for with courage, service, and sacrifice.
    "Abraham Lincoln said a nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure. He was right. But we should also ask ourselves, would a nation that didn’t honor its heroes be a nation in which we would want to live?" he asked. "Your attendance here answers that question. We are here for them. Thank you, God Bless America, God Bless Our Veterans and God Bless our Gold Star Families."
    In addition to Funneman speaking, Timmermann-Benhoff Post honored both their living and deceased members who represented the county during wars and conflicts and have passed away since last year, including four members of the Legion who have recently passed — Thomas Huelskamp, Paul Jansen, Ronald Lager and Anthony "Tony" Timmermann.
    The Legion also honored several deceased members of the Auxiliary — Shirley Berns, Audrey Johnson, Judy Pariseau and Bertha Voss.
    Legion Commander Josh Bunch acknowledged all of the veterans during the ceremony. Following the ceremony, a lunch was held by the American Legion Auxiliary.