Amy Williams Alleman will be the keynote speaker at the the Hyrum Patriotic Celebration on Sunday July 4. She is with her sons Kennet 16 and Kai18 at the Hyrum Cemetery Thursday morning at her husbands grave. Alleman lost her husband U.S. Army Corporal Michael Boyd Alleman Feb. 23, 2009, in Iraq.
HYRUM – On Sunday, July 4, Hyrum City is holding their annual Patriotic Program at the City Square located between Center Street and 100 West on Main Street, or UT-101. This year’s scheduled speaker is Amy Williams Alleman with music provided by the newly-formed Patriotic Children’s Choir.
Alleman lost her husband U.S. Army Corporal Michael Boyd Alleman on Feb. 23, 2009, in Balad, Iraq, while fighting to support Operation Iraq Freedom.
“I want people to know how much he loves this country he is a true patriot, and he loves his family,” Alleman said. “He was so quiet but, he always wanted to do the right thing.”
Corporal Alleman taught at Nibley Elementary School from 2006 until half-way through the 2008 school year.
“We both felt the need and prompting for him to join the military even though it would be hard to leave the family,” she said. “He told me once we were the only three people on the planet he didn’t get tired of spending time with. He was a good dad.”
Corporal Alleman was quiet, didn’t say much but when he did speak with only a few words he could impact a lot of people.
“Our son Kai turned 6 on February 22, 2009, and we got the word of his death on February 23, 2009,” Alleman said. “I am so thankful it didn’t happen on his birthday.”
Alleman turned one of the bedrooms into a sitting room with all her husband’s books, nice chairs and pictures to honor her husband. On one wall in the room, she has a framed quote from Russell M. Nelson that reads, “We can’t fully appreciate reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take the love out of life.”
The quote hangs over a photograph of her touching the flag-draped casket at the airport when it arrived in Utah.
She said she is looking forward to speaking on Sunday to pay tribute to her husband, a patriot who gave his life for the country he loved.
“I feel extremely honored and grateful to have the opportunity to speak at the Patriotic Program,” Alleman said. “Someone said to me the other day when they heard I was speaking, ‘patriotism has a different meaning for you than it does for most of us. To pay such a hefty price.’” Alleman said.
Hyrum Mayor Stephanie Miller said Alleman is buried in the Hyrum Cemetery and Amy is a native of Hyrum and it is fitting she speak.
The mayor said the Hyrum Distinguished Citizen and Hyrum parade Grand Marshal will also be announced at the program.
“They are named that evening. Nobody knows who they are except a family member to make sure they are in attendance until they are named,” Miller said. “Those chosen have done a lot through the years for Hyrum City, and we feel like they deserve some recognition.”
Other festivities will take place on Saturday, July 3, with a youth parade at 10:30 a.m. located at the City Park, followed by the annual water fight with the Fire Department at the East Park. The day will finish with a Hyrum Hornets vs Smithfield Blue Socks baseball game.
On Monday, July 5th at 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. will be the Chuckwagon Breakfast at the city park and it will be a fundraiser for the Mountain Crest High School Marching Band.
There will be a Grand Old Flag Historic Display from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the historic Elite Hall located at 98 West Main.
The Main Street Mile registration will be at the Senior Center located at 700 North Main.
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. this year on Monday and will begin at 700 West Main and turn on 200 West then finish at 200 North.
Fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. at Mountain Crest High School with a special thanks to Cache Valley Bank for a generous contribution. A patriotic program will be broadcast on multiple local radio stations to coordinate with the fireworks display that evening.
For more information on the Star Spangled Celebration contact Hyrum City at (435) 245-6033.