WEST PITTSTON — Joe Sorick pressed the camera to his eye as four U.S. Marines marched down Wyoming Avenue.

A few paces behind the Marines, Sorick’s lens caught the image of 19 soldiers from the West Pittston-based 109th Infantry of the Pennsylvania National Guard. A white horse with no rider took the place of 1st Lt. Jeffrey F. DePrimo, who would not march with his infantry again.

Monday’s Memorial Day parade in West Pittston and Exeter was marked by solemn respect for the 35-year-old DePrimo, of Pittston, who died Tuesday. DePrimo was killed by a roadside bomb near Ghazni, Afghanistan, while serving with the 109th’s Delta Company.

“My heart goes out to them,” said Sorick, 75, a friend of DePrimo’s family. “It’s hard to think about … these guys give up so much for our country.”

The annual parade, organized by the Exeter and West Pittston American Legions, Post 833 and 542, had its usual holiday collection of volunteer fire departments, Cub Scouts and politicians. Monday’s parade also carried the weight of a local soldier killed in action. The hundreds of people who gathered on Wyoming Avenue grew silent when the white horse honoring DePrimo walked by. Ten little girls dressed as angels road in a float honoring DePrimo.

“We decide that maybe doing this would give just a little comfort to the family,” said Denise Adams, who helped organize the float with members of the St. Anthony’s of Padua Church as part of a confirmation project.

DePrimo’s legacy was on the mind of many people who attended the parade.

“From one Memorial Day to another we see and hear about the soldiers who are being killed at war, whether it’s in Iraq or Afghanistan, but it’s somewhere else that’s happening,” said Ron Faust of West Pittston’s American Legion. “This is a sad reminder of the sacrifices that are close to home. We have a young man, Jeffrey DePrimo, who sacrificed for his country. We have so many young Americans here who are serving their country honorably.”

Sorick took photographs from the parking lot of the Valero gas station at Montgomery and Wyoming Avenues, owned by DePrimos’ uncle Ron Gitkos. Gitkos is normally a primary organizer of the annual parade, but this year he joined his family to watch the parade in the parking lot. Family members watched the parade beneath signs on the gas station that read on one side: “We love and miss you Jeffrey,” “No words for today” on the other.

A ceremony honoring DePrimo and veterans everywhere was held in the parking lot at Wyoming Area Catholic School after the parade ended. Taps was played and DePrimo was remembered as numerous veterans spoke of the occasion.

Ron Semanski, retired from the Air Force, talked about the sacrifice of soldiers in America’s wars and how too many Americans do not take the time to remember the purpose of Memorial Day.

“It is so much more than the day the pools open,” Semanski said. “It is so much more than a three-day weekend.”

cjones@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2110