Stevens Point honors fallen heroes with Memorial Day ceremony at Pfiffner

By Brandi Makuski

STEVENS POINT — Hundreds gathered at Pfiffner Pioneer Park on Monday, May 26, to pay tribute to fallen service members during the city’s annual Memorial Day ceremony.

The well-attended event featured traditional honors, personal reflections, and heartfelt speeches, with military veterans, local officials, families, and members of the public joining to mark the solemn occasion.

Lindsay Stiff, a ninth-grade student and the 2025 American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Princess, opened the ceremony by reminding the crowd that Memorial Day is meant for “remembrance and reflection.”

“Veterans Day is to honor our living veterans,” she said. “Memorial Day is specifically about remembering the veterans that are no longer with us, especially those who have died while serving our country.”

Stiff also recited “In Flanders Fields” and explained the symbolism of the red poppy, noting that the paper flowers are handmade by veterans at the Milwaukee VA and distributed nationwide as a tribute to the fallen.

The program’s keynote speaker was Major Jordan Schumacher, a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and professor of military science at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Schumacher spoke of personal loss and the national legacy of sacrifice.

“Today is not about barbecues or long weekends,” he said. “It’s about honoring the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our nation.”

Schumacher shared the story of five fallen comrades he memorializes with a bracelet worn daily on his right wrist—soldiers killed during a mission in Afghanistan on Dec. 17, 2013. He urged the community to not only remember the dead but to live lives worthy of their sacrifice.

“To the Gold Star families here today and across the nation, know this: your pain is not forgotten,” he said. “While we can never truly understand the depth of your grief, we can stand with you in remembrance and gratitude.”

Among those honored during the event was Michael “Gunner” Pohl, a Coast Guard veteran who has organized Stevens Point’s Memorial Day program for more than two decades. His son, Air Force veteran Aaron Pohl, delivered an emotional tribute, thanking his father for his continued service to veterans after his military retirement.

“You have truly earned your rest,” Aaron said, fighting back tears. “Thank you for your guidance and your love.”

Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza presented a proclamation declaring May 26 as “Michael Pohl Day,” recognizing his 20-plus years of organizing the annual event, his heroic service in the Coast Guard, and his dedication to the local veteran community.

In brief remarks, the elder Pohl said this year marked his final time leading the ceremony, referencing the anniversary of his wife’s passing as a personal turning point. He expressed gratitude to the many people and organizations that helped sustain the annual tribute.

“Memorial Day is not ‘Happy Memorial Day,’” he said. “It’s a solemn day. We remember those in the churchyards at Arlington and King. This is their day.”

Pohl encouraged residents to honor the fallen by visiting cemeteries and thanking those buried in veterans’ plots, even if their names are unfamiliar.

“If you really want to thank me, walk up to a stone that you don’t even know and say, ‘Thank you for my freedom,’” he said.

The ceremony concluded with a wreath-laying, a moment of silence, and the playing of taps.