Keith Lowry-Henry Ellyson Post 5 of American Legion of Oklahoma will hold its annual Memorial Day service at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 29, at the Kingfisher Cemetery.

The service will be opened by Post Commander Joseph Bliss Jr.

John Hopkins will offer the invocation.

Kingfisher High School graduate Capt. Will Walter of the Oklahoma National Guard will be the keynote speaker.

Walter is the son of Brian and Liz Walter.

His grandfather, Bob Walter, served in the Navy during World War II on the USS Anzio. Bob Walter was a longtime member of Kingfisher’s American Legion Post 5, where he served terms as the department sergeant of arms and post commander.

Will Walter was raised in Kingfisher where he graduated from KHS in 2012.

After high school, he attended Oklahoma State University. In the summer of 2013 at the age of 19, Walter earned his private pilot license. Prior to his junior year of college, Walter enlisted with the Oklahoma Air National Guard with the 137 Air Refueling Wing in Oklahoma City to be a maintainer on the KC-135.

Due to mission changes in Oklahoma City, he transferred to the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa to serve as a crew chief on the F-16s in 2015.

Walter attended Air Force basic training in the summer of 2015 where he graduated with the distinction of honor graduate (the top 10 percent of his class).

Upon basic training graduation, he attended F-16 maintenance training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, then returned to Tulsa in January 2016.

Walter graduated from Oklahoma State University in December 2016.

After college graduation, he served full-time as a maintainer in Tulsa helping to facilitate local training missions for the F-16s.

In May 2017, he was hired by the 137th Special Operations Wing in Oklahoma City as a pilot. He attended Air Force Officer Training School in December 2019 in Montgomery, Ala., where he received his commission as an officer in March 2019.

After commissioning, Walter attended pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid where he graduated in June 2020.

Walter married Amber Goerke of Watonga in July 2020. The couple live in Oklahoma City where she is a licensed professional counselor and started her own practice.

Walter works full-time at the Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City as a pilot for the MC-12W.

He recently returned from a deployment in South America where the Oklahoma Air National Guard supported the United States’ allies countering terrorism in South America.

Also during Monday’s service, the Vocal Sounds of Oklahoma will sing patriotic songs, continuing their annual tradition.

Auxiliary President Gladys Hopkins and Commander Bliss will place wreaths on the memorial.

Past 6A District Commander and Past Post Commander Kenneth Tollison will command the firing squad, honoring the deceased.

Other activities of the post include placing American flags on the graves of veterans at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 27, with the help of the local Boy Scouts. Any and all help will be appreciated.

The flags will be picked up at 4 p.m. Monday.