I did not come from a military family, although I did have an uncle who served in WWII.

His name was Robert Rayle, my mother’s brother, and he was instrumental in the development of the M1 Rifle.

He was born in Eastover, SC.

I, like too many others, have never really given a great deal of contemplation about Memorial Day. Perhaps that is because I never had a close friend or relative to die in combat while serving our country.

So, for this coming Monday, I set out to memorialize another individual who gave his life for our freedom. Last year I wrote about Lexington’s own Almar Fitzgerald who died in Iraq in 2006.

When I came to Lexington Baptist Church as Minister of Music in 1988, we had an old Hammond organ in our chapel with a plaque on it bearing the name Homer F. Derrick.

He was a member of Lexington Baptist and was killed in action in France on August 27, 1944.

The organ has long-since been gone, but I kept the plaque from that organ, and it is in my office.

Homer is buried in the Pilgrim Lutheran Church Cemetery.

At the age of 17 in 1940 Homer enlisted in the army and was trained at Fort Jackson and became a Staff Sergeant.

Three years later he was killed at the age of 20.

As we lament our situation in this country, dealing with covid-19, don’t let another Memorial Day go by as just being about cookouts, appliance sales, and great car deals.

US Congress in December of 2000 created a law that on every Memorial Day there is to be a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 pm to remember those who have died in military service to the United States.

Go ahead and set your clock.

I did.

Next week: Do you get no satisfaction?

Dan Williams is the senior adult pastor at Lexington Baptist Church.