American Legion Post 795 chaplain Curt Emrie at the May 26 Happy Homestead Cemetery ceremony. Photos/Lesia Witkowsky

Veterans and family members arrived hours before the Memorial Day ceremony to ensure each gravestone of a veteran was adorned with an American flag.

Dozens gathered at Happy Homestead Cemetery in South Lake Tahoe to remember those who lost their lives fighting for the United States. Music, prayer and words from community members and political figures filled the still morning air. All shared personal stories and memories with the underlying similarity of honoring the men and women who had died.

Others throughout Lake Tahoe celebrated Memorial Day by relaxing or spending time with friends and family on what was an unusually warm weekend with highs in the 70s. Many took to the water; some were going up the mountain via the Heavenly gondola, while others chose ice cream as a way to stay cool.

No vacancy signs were seen throughout much of the South Shore during the long weekend. It was practically bumper-to-bumper traffic getting out of the basin on Monday via Highway 50.

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— Lesia Witkowsky