Kennett Collaborative is excited to announce that there will be three Grand Marshals leading the 2025 Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26th. Each will be honored for their service and dedication.

Ralph D. Doss

Ralph D. Doss enlisted in the Navy on March 20, 1943. He trained in Sampson, New York and serviced on the USS Sigourney and USS Duluth in the Pacific. Doss earned the Pacific Theater Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon and the WWII Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged on February 10, 1946 and returned home.
Ralph worked as a self-employed house painter in the Kennett Square area. Doss
celebrated his 100th birthday in February, 2025.

RONALD L. TAYLOR

RONALD L. TAYLOR, Corporal USMCGolf Company 21d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine DivisionEnlisted in the Marines 1967. Graduated Paris Island and promoted to Private First Class. 1968 learned Vietnamese language at Presidio of Monterey, CA. In April 1968, I arrived in Danang Vietnam and was assigned to 3.5 inch rocket squad. Involved in 12 major combat operations during my 13 month tour.I was decorated with following medals: National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Marine Achievement Medal with “V” for valor, Presidential Unit Citation, and Combat Action Ribbon.

 

James “Michael” DeFazio

James “Michael” DeFazio was born in Wilmington, Delaware, but was raised in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. He went to St. Patrick’s School in Kennett Square and graduated high school at Bishop Shanahan in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

After high school, Mike went to work at the Chrysler Corporation plant in Newark, Delaware for one year. He then enlisted in the Air Force the summer of 1968. Mike’s interest in the Air Force began through his father who taught aviation at the Alabama Institute of Technology. Mike’s grandparents had sent his father to St. Louis to study aviation at the height of the Depression during the 1930’s. While his father was teaching aviation, WWII broke out and he was assigned the rank of Captain where he taught Army personnel.

After TEC School in Texas, Mike was stationed at Shaw AFB in Sumter, South Carolina for six months where he received aviation training. He then was sent to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand for one year as Crew Chief on EB-66 aircraft. He returned home after one year of service and went to Colorado Springs, Colorado and then requested assignment to SouthEast Asia. Mike was sent to Da Nang in Vietnam and spent one year as a Crew Chief on F-4 “E” Model aircraft. After his year was up, he came home and was discharged from the Air Force. He then went to school for 12 months from 1968-1969 so that he could qualify to test for the A&P Federal License. The Arab oil embargo eliminated any opportunity for Mike to work for the aircraft industry. So, Mike went to work for a mushroom cannery.

Mike met his wife, Patti Johnson, who was also from Kennett Square, in 1971 and they were married in 1973. They had two daughters, Jamie and Laura.

In 1975, Mike met his business partner, Philip Komar, and they formed a company named M&P Custom Design, Inc. performing metal fabrication and welding repairs. They worked together for 40 years along with his wife Patti who performed all the administrative work. Mike retired from M&P Custom Design in 2021.

Mike became an active member of the Wm W Fahey American Legion Post 491 located on 208 E State Street in Kennett Square. He was recruited by Artilio DiAndrea, Mario Lorenzut, and Les Brown. As a team they worked together making repairs and improvements to the Legion building.

Mike commented “It was an honor to serve my country and local community.”