By Mike Sever
Record-Courier staff writer
From the early days of our country to the current time, Portage County's cemeteries are the final resting places of people who have made contributions to their country and their county.
These residents will be recognized with special memorials at local cemeteries. The events are part of the Portage County Bicentennial year.
Each community has scheduled its own memorial event. Most will be held Saturday, except for Deerfield, which has set its for Sunday, and Randolph and Suffield, which will hold their events on May 26.
A Plaque of Honor will be provided to each community by the Portage County Bicentennial Committee for display in each community town hall or seat of the local government.
Deceased residents to be honored were selected by their local communities.
Those to be honored range from first settlers such as Ebenezer Sheldon, the founder of Aurora, to more recent residents who made contributions to their community, such as Paul Werab of Atwater. And there are veterans as well, from those who served or fell in our nation's earliest wars to the most current conflict.
Shirley Riemenschneider, chaired the bicentennial memorial committee.
"It was an amazing experience," to learn of people who were part of local history, she said.
"These are the doers, the people who laid down the foundation. It just goes on and on, what they did. They made the road for us to follow."
Many of the early pioneer settlers have descendants throughout the county, Riemenschneider said.
The connection with early local history is not that far removed, she said. Adam Lansinger, a Civil War veteran who survived the infamous Confederate prisoner of war camp at Andersonville, Ga., still has a grandson living, she said.
Riemenschneider said the communities are hoping relatives honorees will be able to attend the various memorials.
For additional information, or location in case of inclement weather, call the township or city office involved.