The Cemetery Association of Murphy, Inc. invites the community to attend their 2nd annual Memorial Day Observance at the historic Decatur/Maxwell/Murphy Cemetery, Saturday, May 30th (original Memorial Day date) at 9:30 a.m. 

The cemetery is located on an unmarked gravel road at the junction of Tom Clevenger Road and North Maxwell Creek Road. Signage will be placed on FM 544 at North Maxwell Creek Road and on North Murphy Road at Tom Clevenger Road to direct visitors.

Tours of 15 Veteran gravesites will begin at 9:30 a.m. Visitors will pause at eight stations set up throughout the cemetery to hear the military history of the known Veterans buried in the cemetery. These include one soldier from the Black Hawk War; one Union and twelve Confederate soldiers from the War Between the States (Civil War), and one WWI soldier.

Following the tours, a program will begin at 10:15 a.m. at the south side of the cemetery. It is suggested that visitors bring lawn chairs for their comfort during the program portion of the event.

Participating
in the Memorial Day Observance this year will again be the 15th Street Singers. The 15th Street began in 2004 as a double quartet of friends who love to sing a cappella music. All founding members of the group lived along Plano’s original main thoroughfare “15th Street”.   Since then, the group has evolved and grown to 12 members. Their music covers a broad spectrum of styles, from popular oldies to seasonal and religious. Performance venues include:  municipal events, flag raisings, wedding receptions, sporting events, and a host of church and cultural events. Specific to the City of Murphy, they have performed in the 2008 Memorial Day Observance, the City of Murphy Tree Lighting Event and at Santa's Helpers Toy Drive. Performing this year will be: Bethany Johnson, Paula Rilling, Jennifer Smith, Mary Smith, Cecily Weatherford, Vance Bryson, Keith Fenstermacher, Kevin Hinckley, Mark Richmond and Tyler Sundrud. 

Members of the W. H. L. Wells camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Plano TX led by Commander Gary Bray and the Order of the Confederate Rose will also take part in this year’s Memorial Day Observance. Military unit members will do an honorary roll call of the Veterans and perform a 21-gun salute and ceremonial firing of a canon in remembrance of all Veterans.





Roses will be placed on the graves of the Veterans by ladies dressed in 1860’s widow weeds – The Order of the Confederate Rose. 

Pastor Linda McCormick, Corinth Presbyterian Church in Parker, Murphy Boy Scout Troop 1812 and students from Murphy Middle School and Williams H.S. will also take part in the Memorial Day Observance.

The Cemetery Association of Murphy, Inc. would like to extend a special invitation to all area Veterans to attend this Memorial Day Observance. During the program Veterans in attendance will be publically recognized and thanked for their service to the United States of America.