However, what we may forget is that Memorial Day isnt just about family fun.

Its an important federal holiday dedicated to the men and women who died in military service.

Memorial Day is a day equally deserving of respect and celebration.

Memorial Day Quotes

To help you out, weve put together a collection of Memorial Day quotes honoring this nations fallen soldiers.

The Origins of Memorial Day

Theexact origins of Memorial Dayare unclear.

Decoration Day was enacted following the American Civil War.

Tranquil and Steady Dedication

The Civil War devastated the country, claiming the lives of about 620,000 soldiers.

As a result, the holiday was renamed Memorial Day in 1967.

Today, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer.

Honoring the Seed of Freedom’s Tree

15 Famous Memorial Day Quotes

Memorial Day means different things to different people.

For some, its the perfect excuse for aweekend getawaywith acherished loved one.

For others, its a painful reminder of personal loss.

Short Memorial Day Quotes

Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.- Barack Obama

2.

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes.

Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.

Pay Homage to Those That Served

Adlai Stevenson II

5.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

7.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.

Land of the Free

Rather we should thank God such men lived.

George S. Patton

9.

Without memory, there is no culture.

Without memory, there would be no civilization, no future.

Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being.

With freedom comes responsibility.

John F. Kennedy

12.

No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.

General Douglas MacArthur

13.

Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering.

Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid.

They have earned our undying gratitude.

America will never forget their sacrifices.

Harry S. Truman

15.

Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

In which case, sometimes the less saidthe better.

Here are 16 short Memorial Day quotes for when you dont know what to say:

16.

The patriots blood is the seed of freedoms tree.

I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism.

Heroism is not only in the man but in the occasion.

May we never forget freedom isnt free.

What I can do for my country, I am willing to do.

Here men endured that a nation might live.

Home of the free, because of the brave.

In the aftermath, we are because they were.

We dont know them all, but we owe them all.

If you want to thank a soldier, be the kind of American worth fighting for.

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.

Major Bill Paxton

28.

What I can do for my country, I am willing to do.

Let their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.

Daniel Webster

30 A man is a patriot if his heart beats true to his country.

Charles E. Jefferson

31.

Where liberty dwells, there is my country.

As you contemplate what this day means to you, be sure to appreciate yourfriends and family.

Weve put together 14 uplifting Memorial Day quotes honoring this sentiment.

Check them out below:

32.

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.

James A. Garfield

35.

Heroism doesnt always happen in a burst of glory.

Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.

Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it.

It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.

Joseph Rodman Drake

38.

America without her soldiers would be like God without His angels.

I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.

But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops and once-a-year Memorial Day ceremonies.

We honor the dead best by treating the living well.

Jennifer M. Granholm

43.

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured with what is right in America.

William J. Clinton

45.

Its also an excellent opportunity to discuss the impact of the holiday and the U.S. military.

Check out our topMalcolm X quotesandDalai Lama quotesfor more inspirational quotes.

The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men.

This is the day we pay homage to all those who didnt come home.

Memorial Day isnt just about honoring veterans; its honoring those who lost their lives.

Veterans had the fortune of coming home.

For us, thats a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve.

Its a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it.

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms.

It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.

The willingness of Americas veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.

I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink.

It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty and freedom.

Duty, honor, country.

General Douglas MacArthur

55.

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.

Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world.

A veteran does not have that problem.

At its core, Memorial Day is about remembrance, respect, and gratitude.

Whats your favorite Memorial Day quote?

How do you and your family choose to celebrate?

Better yet, what does this day mean toyouand your family?