In Plano, people gathered for a sunset service at Memorial Park to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Organizers said 42 members of the armed forces who have died in service since World War I, lived in Plano at some point in their lives.
Many in attendance said they wanted to make sure generations coming up in the community don't forget what Memorial Day is truly about.
Dave Sweeney, an Army veteran, said he's seen the pain of families whose loved ones left to serve and never returned.
"Memorial Day, to me, after Fourth of July, is the most sacred holiday we have as Americans," Sweeney said. "You can see the grief and the pain something like that causes. They say time heals wounds, but not the wounds are always there."
He said perhaps being here and volunteering his time to honor the fallen can help lessen the pain.
"Today is the day we honor those who gave all their lives for our country. And to me there's nothing I can do but take some time out of my day, pay my respects and honor them," he said.
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Fletcher Sharp has helped organize the event for the last 12 years.
He wants people to know that Memorial Day is about more than a long weekend and cookouts.
"There's an awful lot of people who don't understand what Memorial Day truly stands for," Sharp said.
His motivation is to make sure younger generations understand why it is so important.
"Memorial Day is to thank and remember all of our veterans who didn't make it home because they died somewhere on the battle field so that we can enjoy some of the freedoms that we have today," he said.
