John Carl Hafer Sr. of Tamaqua will be the grand marshal of the Tamaqua Memorial Day Parade, set for 10 a.m. Monday.

A Tamaqua native, Hafer is a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Navy as a Seaman 1st Class, Specialist T.During his service period of 1944 to 1946, Hafer was stationed at the Sampson Training Station Flight Training School in Atlanta and the Auxiliary Flight Base in Westerly, Rhode Island, teaching both Navy and Air Force pilots the techniques of instrument flying.Hafer is retired from a 34-year career at Lucent Technologies in Allentown.He has been married to the former Jean Fisher for 72 years and the couple has four children: Ester Jean Borascius, Joseph Ted Hafer, Gregory Hafer, and Cpl. John Carl Hafer Jr. (deceased).The Hafers are grandparents of seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.Hafer is a 60-year member of the American Legion C.W. Berry Post 173, life member of the Knights of Columbus Father Henry Baker Council and Schuylkill Assembly, a member of the Black Diamond Navy Club of Minersville, life member of the South Ward Fire Company in Tamaqua, and member of St. John XXIII Church of Tamaqua.In June 2010, he was bestowed the honors of placing a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Arlington National Cemetery.147th Annual ServicesThe parade will form in the last block of East Broad Street in the area of the former CVS and Maff Motors. Participants are asked to be there no later than 9:45 a.m. and upon arrival should check in with one of the parade coordinators to find their designated location in the lineup.Following the parade, the 147th Annual Tamaqua Memorial Day Service will take place at 11 a.m. at Soldiers' Circle in Odd Fellows Cemetery. The brief service honors all deceased veterans.It includes the reading of names of those Tamaqua area veterans who passed away since the previous Memorial Day.The service also includes patriotic selections by the high school band and a balloon release in memory of departed veterans.The color guard of C.H. Berry Post 173, Tamaqua American Legion, will render honors.In addition to Hafer, participants will include Vicar Cindy White, Poppy Queen Ava Murray, BPW Young Woman of the Year award winners Jillian Franko and Rachel Keich, Schuylkill County Dairy Princess Hannah Miller, members of the Tamaqua American Legion C.H. Berry Post 173, Tamaqua Area Raider Marching Band, Tamaqua Area High School Student Council, the Canton Allentown 39 Patriarch's Militant, and guest speaker Tonia (Stahl) Barron.Army veteranBarron, a Tamaqua native and a veteran of the U.S. Army and Pennsylvania Army National Guard, retired as a sergeant first class on Nov. 30, 2014, after 23 years of service.Throughout her career, Barron held multiple positions including personnel NCO, supply sergeant, medical supply and unit armorer, to name a few.In 2008-09, she served as Medical Operations NCO for the 56th Stryker Brigade, 28th Infantry Division in Taji, Iraq.In May 2013, she graduated from Cedar Crest College with a BS in nursing and is currently employed at Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital as an emergency room nurse.She is pursuing a dual master's degree from Wilkes University in nursing education and nurse executive.She is married to Robert W. Barron Jr. and together they have two boys, Alexander, 12, and Nicholas, 8. The family lives in Walker Township.Poppy QueenThe Poppy Queen will be Ava Murray, daughter of Brian and Melanie (Perla) Murray, Tamaqua.She is the granddaughter of Craig and Linda Murray of Sinking Springs and Eugene and Margaret Perla, Tamaqua.Murray attends first grade at Rush Elementary and is a member of the Junior Auxiliary of the American Legion, and is active with USA martial arts and karate.BPW honoreesThe two Tamaqua Business and Professional Women's Young Woman of the Year winners are Rachel Keich and Jillian Franko.Keich is the daughter of John and Jeanine Keich of Hometown. She will attend Albright College and major in accounting and business management. She is a class officer and a member of the Tamaqua Area Student Government, the Leadership Council, the National Honor Society, English National Honor Society, and Math National Honor Society.Upon beginning her professional career, she intends on making community involvement a priority.Franko is the daughter of Joseph and Celeste Franko of Tamaqua.She will attend Lehigh Carbon Community College and major in accounting. Franko is a member of the Biology Club, National Honor Society, Drama Club, Math National Honor Society, and National English Honor Society.In addition to pursuing a professional career, Franko hopes to continue her interests in art and writing.Cindy White is serving as vicar for Zion Lutheran Church under the mentorship of Pastor Virginia Goodwin.A native Philadelphian, she, her husband, and three children resided in the Allentown area for 20 years and recently moved to Tamaqua.She is a Temple University graduate with a degree in social work and is currently attending Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg.Also participating in the parade is Hannah Miller, Schuylkill County Dairy Princess.Miller is the daughter of Russel and Christine Miller, Tamaqua. She has finished her second year in LCCC's nursing program, works at the Tamaqua Public Library, and belongs to the West Penn 4-H Club.Rain or shineThe parade will be held rain or shine. In the event of rain, however, the Memorial Day service will be held at the Tamaqua Community Arts Center at 125 Pine St., Tamaqua. If the service is relocated to the Community Arts Center, the announcement will be made as early as possible on the Facebook pages of the Zizelmann-Roche Funeral Home, the American Legion C.H. Berry, Post 173, and the American Legion Honor Guard. The announcement will also be made on WMGH.Any organizations interested in joining the parade can do so by contacting Dave Meredith, 570-668-3356.