Harrison Thorp 9 a.m.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 8:55 am
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ROCHESTER - Robert "Cider" Berry, a Navy Veteran, former Rochester Citizen of the Year and member of the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame, will be the Grand Marshal of this year's Memorial Day Parade on Monday.
Berry, who was chosen to lead the parade by the Rochester Veterans Council, has been involved in the community for many years through various boards and community groups, including his longstanding advocacy for our country's veterans.
The city's Memorial Day parade will step off from Holy Rosary Church on North Main Street at 10:30 a.m. sharp, punctuated by a single cannon shot.
The parade will then proceed to the Arched Bridge over the Cocheco River, where there will be a brief ceremony including a wreath memorial service. Taps will be performed by the Spaulding High School Band, and a rifle volley will be conducted by Captain Bell's Company, 2nd NH Regiment, Revolutionary War re-enactors.
Once the ceremony is complete, the parade will continue down North Main Street through downtown, onto South Main Street, and conclude at the Rochester Common in time for ceremonies at the Flags of Honor.
Berry, who works as community relations director at Eastern Propane, was lauded on the company's Facebook page saying, "We are so proud that the Rochester Veterans Council has chosen one of our own. He is part of the fuel the keeps us who we are and is always supporting the veteran community. We are so honored and can't wait to see him kick off the parade."
Berry told The Rochester Voice today that he was totally shocked when Rochester Veterans Council President Carlton Cooper asked him to be the parade's Grand Marshal.
"I was dumbfounded," he said. "I was really honored to be picked."
Berry said he's done a lot to help veterans and so has Eastern Propane.
"We have five trucks that say "Veterans Count" on them and on those five trucks a penny a gallon goes into a fund to help veterans," he said. "That amounts to about $30,000 a year."
Not only that, but each year Eastern Propane techs and drivers come up with a list of veterans having a tough time paying their winter fuel bills, he added.
"We put all the names in a bucket, and the one that gets picked gets a free winter's worth of oil or propane. I've got to give a lot of credit to the company."
Meanwhile, police are alerting the public that during the parade there will be rolling road closures and motorists are asked to remain alert and follow directions from police and parade attendants.
The Rochester Veterans Council said in a statement that they are honored to pay tribute to those who fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
For more information about the parade, visit www.rochesterveteranscouncil.com/rmdp.