Nevada County war veterans who paid “the ultimate price,” were honored in various ceremonies and in private moments Monday, while those who served their country and survived were also feted.

In Memorial Park in Grass Valley, about 400 people gathered for the annual Memorial Day ceremony surrounded by monuments and memorials of veterans who served or gave their lives in wars from World War I to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Gold Star Mother Kristine Mason, who lost her son John “JT” Lucente in Iraq in 2005, said she still walks up to veterans and thanks them for their service.

“We owe them a debt that’s more than we could ever repay,” she told the crowd.

Nevada County Supervisor Hank Weston remembered when he returned from Vietnam on a ship into the port of San Francisco in 1965, his parents had a banner up welcoming him home.

The same had been done for his father when he returned from World War II some 20 years earlier.

Although he had not lost any family members, “We can show solidarity with the families in sharing their loss,” Weston said.

Former Supervisor Sue Horne attended the ceremony with her son, Michael, an Iraq war veteran now a student at Sierra College. Monday was the 37th year since she and husband Bruce Horne had lost their brother-in-law, Daryl Kunzler, in Vietnam.

“They gave all they had so that we can live free today,” Horne said of the fallen. “God bless our men and women in uniform and God bless America.”

Nevada County American Legion leader and Vietnam War veteran Van Bogardus remembered that it took years for him to allow himself to truly come back home and accept people’s accolades for serving.

The Marine veteran talked about “the many unsung heroes,” who gave their lives for their country and that those who came home should also be remembered.

“Kind words will always mean a lot to a veteran, believe me,” Bogardus said.

One of the winners of the Legion Auxiliary American Essay contest read her work and had an even better way for approaching those who served.

“The next time you see a veteran, make sure to give them a big kiss,” said Anastasia Martin, a fifth-grader at Cottage Hill School.

Union Hill School seventh-grader and the other first-place winner in the essay contest, Chase Milhous, got a laugh out of the otherwise somber crowd when he said that Americans share the right to vote for whomever they please.

“If we didn’t, we would have women complaining that they couldn’t vote,” he said.

Weldon Travis served eight years in the Navy Reserve in the 1950s and said he was there, “to pay respect to those who paid the ultimate price.”