Memorial Day Observance
Memorial Day observances will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026.
An observance will be held at the Elm Grove Cemetery located in Poquonock beginning at 8:00 AM followed by a ceremony at Veteran’s Cemetery at 9:00 AM. Following the ceremony at Veteran’s Cemetery, the Memorial Day Parade will proceed to Windsor Town Hall via Poquonock Avenue. The parade usually arrives in the center of town between 9:45 AM and 10:00 AM. The 10:00 AM ceremony at town hall will include a special flag ceremony performed by Windsor Scouts.
In case of rain, one ceremony will be held at 10:00 AM in the Town Hall Council Chambers.
Claire Cashwell – Memorial Day Parade Marshall Bio
Claire’s family of eight relocated to Windsor in August 1961, where she graduated from Windsor High School. Following her graduation, Claire took a position with the State of Connecticut Insurance Department.
What prompted Claire to enlist in the U.S. Army? At the time, she was associating with the wrong crowd and realized that the direction she was heading was not a positive one. Faced with two choices—jail or the military—she opted for the latter, seeking the discipline it offered. Claire underwent basic training at Fort Dix, NJ, followed by Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Devens, MA, where she specialized in Noncommunications and Space Collection.
During her training, Claire had the opportunity to return home on weekends, only to discover that her former friends continued to make poor choices. This realization reinforced her belief that she had made the right decision. After Fort Devens, Claire received orders to Sinop, Turkey, where she spent a year and enjoyed her time.
Claire was subsequently ordered to Fort Lewis, WA, where she completed her military service, achieving the rank of SGT/E5. Following her discharge, she embarked on a solo 3,000-mile drive back to Connecticut, accompanied only by a CB radio for company.
Once back home, Claire sought employment but frequently encountered the frustrating response that she was overqualified for the positions she applied for. This led her to a pivotal opportunity at the National Security Agency in Maryland. Despite her reluctance to move away from her family—after having been away for 1 ½ years with only a brief leave from June 10 to July 1—Claire decided to pursue a different path.
She enrolled in the Morse School of Business, where she completed an accounting course. Thanks to a job fair, she secured employment with a government agency. After factoring in her years of military service for retirement, Claire accumulated a total of 36 years in government employment before retiring in July 2019 to focus on recreational activities.
Currently, Claire serves as the Commander of The American Legion Gray-Dickinson Post 59 in Windsor and volunteers with the Greater Windsor Veterans Council. Both organizations are dedicated to supporting veterans, and Claire is passionate about contributing to their well-being in any way she can.
