The Good Life – November-December 2020

WRITTEN BY: ALEXIS SWENSON
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Fargo Memorial Honor Guard
Along with the establishment of the Fargo National
Cemetery was the development of the Fargo Memorial
Honor Guard. The Fargo Memorial Honor Guard is solely
dedicated to the Fargo National Cemetery. It is a volunteer
group made up of roughly 30 veterans from the United
Patriotic Bodies in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Fargo resident, Marv Nicklay, serves as the Sergeant of the
Guard for the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard. At 80 years
of age, Nicklay works to coordinate all the Honor Guard
volunteers. He jokes that getting involved was just like
joining the service: he said yes without knowing what he
was saying yes to.
Upon joining, Nicklay polled the United Patriotic Bodies
for interest in the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard and began
recruiting members. "Now members are coming from word
of mouth when they hear about us at their local meeting or
from others who are involved. It's a lot of work, but I enjoy
it," said Nicklay.
"We all volunteer
because of our love for
our fellow veterans."
– Russel Stabler
Nicklay is also responsible for creating the duty roster which
involves contacting each of the roughly 30 volunteers for
their availability on a weekly basis. The day before a burial,
Nicklay finalizes the duty roster and emails the group with
their assignments. Monday through Friday, there are five
burial slots offered each day at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1
p.m., and 2 p.m. Nicklay also completes a monthly volunteer
Man Hours report and submits it to the Volunteer Service
Dept., Fargo VA.
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