A 55-year Legionnaire, Vietnam War era veteran and brother of the county’s first casualty of the war will serve as grand marshal of the four-division Summit Hill Memorial Day Parade.

Carbon County’s largest tribute to fallen servicemen and women steps off on Monday, May 26,

Robert J. “Gimper” Bevich, 77, of Summit Hill, will ring the former Summit Hill High School bell located in Ludlow Park in the center of the community around 11 a.m.

The parade following the traditional Memorial Day services that will take place at 10 a.m. at that location.

“I was surprised; it’s an honor,” said Bevich, one of five family members who served in the U.S. military. “I’ll be proud to represent my family, the Legion and all veterans. It’s a special day. I’m looking forward to it. But it’s also a reminder of what the day is for, to honor fallen veterans.”

According to Thomas Vermillion, parade committee chairman, Bevich was a unanimous choice of both the Summit Hill American Legion and the Summit Hill Memorial Day Parade Committee.

He said, “‘Gimper’ is a longtime member of the Summit Hill community and Summit Hill Legion. He’s a quiet and humble man having served in the Army during the Vietnam era, and he is well deserving of the honor of being this year’s grand marshal.”

About the grand marshal

The grand marshal graduated in 1965 from Panther Valley High School, where he was a member of the first graduating class of the jointure. The following year, he was drafted into the Army.

He underwent basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and one week later, he recalled, “Our sergeant took me to the Red Cross and told me my brother (George M. Jr.) was killed in the war.”

“Gimper” returned home for his brother’s funeral and was then reassigned by the Army from his “orders to go to Vietnam” to duties at Fort Leonard Wood, an Army training installation located in the Missouri Ozarks, where he worked in supplies until his honorable discharge in 1968 as a private first class.

Recalling the tragic days of losing a sibling to war, and fighting back tears, he said, “George enlisted. I remember when he left Summit Hill, he told us: ‘I’m not coming home.’”

Following his discharge, “Gimper” returned to Summit Hill, worked for nine years for Blue Ridge Pressure Casting Co., Lehighton, and later worked for Tru Value, Fogelsville, for 28 years before retiring in 2012.

He became active in the Davis-Lawton-Yurko-Breslin-Bevich Post 316 that had his brother’s name added to it, and to this year has amassed 55 years of continuous service. He held the presidency of the Post 316 Home Association for a period of time.

Bevich is a life member of Diligence Fire Company No. 1, Summit Hill, and St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley, Summit Hill. He also belongs to the Beaver Run Rod and Gun Club, Mahoning Township.

He was married to the former Joan Evans of Summit Hill until her passing in 2001. They had three children: Denise of Summit Hill, Ann Michele Ostrosky of Easton and Robert Jr., and his wife, Rebecca, of Ambler. “Gimper” is the grandfather of five, including Derek, Morgan and Zach Ostrosky and Barrett and Bruce Bevich.

He is married to the former Mary Ann Maurer of Nesquehoning and has two stepchildren, Mindy, wife of Thomas McArdle of Lake Hauto, and Tina, wife of Paul Skodacek of West Penn Township, and two stepchildren, Kylie and Kirsten Skodacek.

A son of the late George Sr. and Catherine “Kitty” (Lynn) Bevich, his late father, George M. Bevich Sr., was a Navy veteran, having served in the Seabees.

His older brother (George Jr.) became the first Carbon County casualty of the Vietnam War when he died at age 22 on Dec. 4, 1966, while serving with the 377th Air Police Squadron, 377th Combat Support Group, 7th Air Force, in Gia Dinh Province, South Vietnam.

Two other brothers, John “Wassy,” now of Allentown, and the late William “Beaver” completed the quintet of family members who had served our country. Another brother, Joseph, married to the former Roseann Ligenza, resides in Lake Hauto, and a sixth sibling, also named George, died in infancy.

Vermillion said parade viewers can expect a lineup this year that will be “similar to last year,” saying, “Some groups are still not returning. We have a few new groups and groups that were here last year for the first time that plan to join us again. We will continue with four divisions this year — had cut back to three after COVID. There are several bands, musical groups, and float contest entries.

“We’re looking forward to having nice weather after last year’s parade almost got rained out.”