BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C (WLOS) — Community members gathered at the Western North Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain on Monday morning to honor the service of fallen soldiers on Memorial Day.

Officials from the state of North Carolina, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Council, Asheville and Buncombe County sponsored the 2025 ceremony.

This year’s keynote speaker was the Honorable Jocelyn Mallette, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Mallette is the granddaughter of a Vietnam War veteran and the daughter of an Air Force Colonel. She also served on active duty for 10 years.

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A third-generation service member, Mallette was appointed by Governor Josh Stein and is a United States Air Force Academy graduate.

During her speech, Mallette was proud to announce her combined family history of 153 years of military service to the country.

She said she was grateful to be at the ceremony to recognize those who have served.

“We must use our words and actions as a living testimony honoring their memory, brave deeds, and courageous lives as the blessings they are,” Mallette said.

Many people, from veterans to residents across the community, attended the ceremony to show their respect.

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“Memorial Day is intended to bring to the consciousness of all of us, you know, our debt to those who have given their lives to protect us,” Asheville resident Tom Byers said.

Mallette added that this way of life could not exist without those who served in defense of liberty and freedom.

“May God bless our fallen, our troops, and all of their families, and may God bless these United States of America,” she said.