The 99th Dearborn Memorial Day Parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. May 26 along Michigan Avenue in east Dearborn, followed by a Remembrance Ceremony at the Dearborn Veterans Park and War Memorial in front of Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave.
City announces grand marshals, special guest announcer
DEARBORN — Celebrating its 99th year as the longest-running Memorial Day parade in the Michigan, the annual city of Dearborn Memorial Day event will take place May 26 along Michigan Avenue in east Dearborn.
This year’s parade, which pays special tribute to military and law enforcement K-9 officers, returns to its original route from Schaefer Road to the Dearborn Veterans Park and War Memorial.
Hosted by the city with collaboration from the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council, the parade and annual Remembrance Ceremony will be led by grand marshals Army veteran and Infantry K-9 Handler Michael Stanton, and Air Force veteran, Michigan State Police trooper, and K-9 handler Joshua Olszewski. News analyst Lloyd Jackson from WJR-AM 760 will emcee the parade.
Parade schedule
The parade will begin approximately 9:30 a.m. with a military funeral procession. The grand marshals and parade groups will follow.
A Remembrance Ceremony will be held immediately following the parade — about noon — at the Dearborn Veterans Park and War Memorial in front of Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave. The public is invited.
The parade will be broadcast live on the city’s local cable channel, City of Dearborn Television.
Route information
The parade route will begin at Schaefer Road and move west, ending at the Dearborn Veterans Park and War Memorial.
Grand Marshals
Stanton graduated from Dearborn High School in 1969. Upon joining the Army, he chose a role that combined his love for dogs with his commitment to serving his country as an infantry scout handler. Stanton and his K-9 dog and partner, Chief, provided essential assistance to units requiring bomb and IED protection.
After completing his service in the Army, Stanton became a certified registered nurse. Today, he continues to speak as an advocate for the nursing profession. Stanton volunteers at the Michigan War Dog Memorial and has adopted two retired veteran dogs who served as explosive detection specialists.
Olszewski is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and currently serves as a Michigan State Police trooper. He is a canine handler to partner, Kai, a German shepherd. Together, as part of Tracking/Patrol and Narcotics Detection, the duo has had 64 successful tracks and 136 successful narcotics searches since 2021.
Military funeral procession and cremains
The parade begins with a funeral procession honoring local veterans who passed without resources for a proper burial. Their cremains will be escorted through the parade route in a historical caisson, followed by a riderless horse.
Lance Cpl. Robert Stajda was born on July 20, 1949, in Detroit. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps on Oct. 1, 1968, and served through 1970. Stajda passed away on Jan. 10, 2025.
U.S. Army veteran Amos R. Howard was born on Oct. 2, 1946. He served his country during the Vietnam War era and passed away on Jan. 25, 2025. Howard previously rang the bell at prior Memorial Day parades.
Both were members of the American Legion Fort Dearborn Post 364 and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 267 in Dearborn.
Lloyd Jackson as parade announcer
Jackson, co-host of “JR Morning” on WJR-AM 760, will serve as parade emcee. Jackson, a Detroit native, began his career at WJR in 1993. He has moderated numerous interviews in his more than 30 years in radio.
For more information about the Dearborn Memorial Day parade, go to Dearborn.gov/MemorialDay.