Veterans Day is Monday, Nov. 11.

Originally known as Armistice Day, this day – the 11th hour of the 11th day on the 11th month – honors the ending of World War I.

The Veterans of Foreign War Post 6311 in Manteca will be remembering this day with a Veterans Day ceremony at Library Park, beginning at 11 a.m.

All are welcome to attend.

A joint color guard presentation from VFW Post 6311 and Post 52 in Stockton will kick off the special event.

Scheduled as guest speakers will be Retired Major General Eldon Regua and Manteca Mayor Gary Singh.

Post Chaplin Richie Benavides will provide the invocation. A few patriotic songs will also be performed.

Ripon

The Ripon VFW Post 1051 and Ripon American Legion Post 190 will pay tribute to this day with a 10 a.m. ceremony at the Ripon Veterans Wall at South Locust Avenue and West First Street.

The nearby Ripon Veterans Museum will also be open that morning, beginning at 9 o’clock. 

East Union Cemetery

Also on Veterans Day, the East Union Cemetery Association is dedicating their columbaria niches during ceremonies, at 10 a.m.

The five columbaria (niche) towers was completed in October 2023 adjacent to the recently installed Veteran’s Memorial.

The memorial honors the 475 military personnel buried at the cemetery.

The association will be honoring the Raymus family along with their Building Dreams Foundation that played a large part in making the project possible.

Each of these light grey, black-flecked towers has 160 niches, and each niche can hold one to three cremation (ash) urns, depending on the size of the urn chosen.

The pioneer cemetery on the southwest corner of Union Road and Louise Avenue is now in its 152nd  year.

Although there are 3,300 that hold remains, there are 600 full burial plots and 1,000 plus cremation burial sites left in addition to the niches.

The cemetery office is open from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

You can call (209) 823-8533 or email eastunioncemetery@gmail.com.