2025 Memorial Day Commemoration at Memorial Park in Pasadena (Photo – Jesus Marez)
The Pasadena community gathered in solemn remembrance on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Memorial Park, joining the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Veterans Day Committee for the annual Memorial Day Commemoration. The ceremony honored the 320 service members from Pasadena who gave their lives in battle, reaffirming the city’s enduring commitment to remembering its fallen heroes.
By John Boucher
The commemoration began with welcoming remarks by the Master of Ceremonies, Captain (CA) William Paparian of the California State Guard. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Pasadena Sea Cadet Brendon Ching, an 11-year-old student at Camino Grove Elementary School. In a poignant moment of remembrance, the names of the fallen, spanning from World War I through the War on Terror, were read aloud. This solemn reading was conducted by Vice Mayor Jess Rivas, cadets from the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (Pasadena Division), and members of Blair High School’s Army Junior ROTC.
“There’s an African proverb that says: ‘As long as you speak my name, I shall live forever,’” said Paparian during his remarks. “On Memorial Day 2025 in Pasadena, we will speak the names of the sons and daughters of Pasadena who gave the last full measure of devotion.”
Among those honored were the 31 sons of Pasadena whose names are engraved on the city’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The invocation and benediction were delivered by Lieutenant Commander Pedro M. Trinidad, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy. LCDR Trinidad, currently serving as Battalion Chaplain for the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division, brought both military and pastoral experience to the ceremony. A Detroit native raised in Puerto Rico, he has ministered to bilingual congregations for over two decades and currently serves as the Discipleship and Outreach Pastor at Carmichael Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sacramento.
Funeral honors were rendered by the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines. Although a planned flyover was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, the solemnity of the occasion remained undiminished.
Sponsored by the City of Pasadena’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, the Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena Management Association, Vietnam Veterans of America, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the American Legion, the ceremony stood as a powerful testament to unity and remembrance.
“Memorial Day is more than just a historical commemoration; it is a call to action for all of us,” Paparian reminded attendees. “It is incumbent upon us to preserve the memory of our fallen heroes, ensuring that their stories are passed down through generations.”
Memorial Day Commemoration at Memorial Park, May 26, 2025 (Photos – Jesus Marez)
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