Father remembers his son's love of country, and the ultimate sacrifice he made

Jeffrey Conger waits on the North Street bridge for the start of the Memorial Day parade. (Lebano Voice photos)

COPYRIGHT2017© ROCHESTER - Jeffrey Conger of Barrington stood in a crowd all alone on the North Main Street bridge on Monday just prior to the passing of a Memorial Day Parade that honored our armed forces men and women who paid the ultimate price for freedom.

Outfitted in his Army dress replete with ribbons and medals, he talked of how this was a day of both pride for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country; and sadness, for not having them home with family where they belong.

His son, Jesse Conger of Barrington, is among those whom we honored on Monday.

A picture of his son, Jesse Conger, adorns the uniform of his father, Jeffrey Conger, during Memorial Day Services on Monday in Rochester.

Jesse Conger, an Army Infantryman, died at the age of 22 when a truck he was driving rolled over on March 22, 2002, during a training exercise at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Nine other soldiers involved in the accident survived and returned to duty.

Conger, 74, a stoic man of military bearing, choked back tears as he recounted his son's service and the ultimate price of patriotism he paid.

Asked if the mixed emotions of his Memorial Day ever wane, he paused.

"It gets easier, but it doesn't get any better," he said tapping on his Gold Star medal that signified he'd lost a family member to military service.