Paying little heed to the soggy skies, Brown County residents gathered Monday morning for the annual Memorial Day observance at the Central Texas Veterans Memorial.

Earlier Monday, the drizzly weather had prompted the cancellation of the annual Memorial Day service at Eastlawn Memorial Park in Early.

Although the weather cleared steadily throughout the day, a light rain fell as Jeff Meadow fired off his canon as part of the opening events, which included the recognition of Gold Star families.

The observance also included the dedication of plaques to:

• Army Technician Fifth Grade Calvin Frank Evans, a 1942 graduate of Blanket High School. Evans was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic action in World War II combat. Evans died in 2007.

• The battleship USS Texas, which was launched in 1912 and saw action in World War I and World War II.

As Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes prepared to introduce keynote speaker Congressman August Pfluger, Haynes said, “The best memorials are the ones where friends and families tell the stories of their loved ones.

“Through those stories, we get just a glimpse of a life that was well lived. We learn what made a person special. It’s through the retelling of those stories from generation to generation that honor and glory is bestowed.”

Haynes said he felt distressed after realizing he hadn’t told his then-teenaged son about “the greatness of his family and the sacrifices that had been made so that we could live the life that we were living.

“And in failing to tell him the stories, I had also deprived him of the honor that they were due. Here’s my challenge. Tell their stories. Tell their stories to the next generation and the next.”

In introducing Pfluger, Haynes said the congressman had been inspired by the service of Pfluger’s grandfather, a World War II pilot. Pfluger attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, and after being commissioned as an Air Force officer in 2000, Pfluger served on active duty for more than 20 years.

Pfluger represents Texas’ 11th Congressional District.

“The mayor mentioned my grandfather, who was an inspiration to me,” Pfluger said. “He taught me about the families that have lost their loved ones. Recognizing these families at the front, I now have a sense of deep, deep gratitude that we have this country and are able to pledge allegiance to that flag because of you, because of your love and your support.

“Our prayers continue to be with you. Enough words or memorials or ceremonies will replace that hole in your heart.”

Pfluger went on to tell about the loss of two of his classmates — Capt. Tamara Archuleta and Capt. Jeff Haney.

Archuleta had gone on to become a helicopter pilot. On March 23, 2003, her helicopter crashed on a night rescue mission in Afghanistan. Haney was killed in the Nov. 16, 2010 crash of his F-22 in Alaska.

After giving details of both crashes, Pfluger said, “these are the kinds of people that I think about today. And I bet every single one of us today has a story just like that. We all know somebody. We all have a family that we know paid that ultimate sacrifice.

“I’m very, very encouraged that we still have communities that come together to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, to honor Tammy Archuleta and Jeff Haney and the families that are here. In all of humanity, we have never had a country like this country that is bonded together by a spirit that is greater than ourselves, that is based on biblical principles of morality, that is based on a thought that laying down your life for somebody else is the greatest thing that you can do, and we know where we were taught that as well.”

The observance included remarks from retired Navy Chaplain Jim Looby, retired Adm. Jeff Lemmons, former naval officer Robert Porter and Rick Evans, the son of Calvin Evans.

Evans said his father was born on a ranch near Blanket. “That’s why I think he understood the idea of hard work for all those in the community that have grown up on ranches,” Evans said. “He had an appreciation for the land and wanted to make sure it survived. I think that was one of the things that influenced him to volunteer and to enlist in the Army.

“My dad loved God. He loved family. He loved country. We were very fortunate that my dad was Christian and raised as such as we grew up. He was loyal. He sacrificed. And he was a very humble man.”

Evans told stories about D-Day, when his unit was under heavy attack from the Germans — but he didn’t mention that he’d been awarded the Bronze Star.

“That’s how humble he was,” Evans said. “You know, Dad instilled in us what it was to sacrifice. He did that by example.”

The observance concluded with a three-volley rifle salute by members of American Legion Post 196, the playing of Taps and another canon boom.