SIKESTON - The Col. George E. "Bud" Day Parkway will be dedicated in a special ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The Sikeston High School Marching Band will perform and the unveiling of the street sign will be accompanied by a welcome speech by state and local dignitaries. The parkway is at the stoplight on Highway 61 at Lowe's Home Improvement.
"The Sikeston community is honored to dedicate the new parkway to such a respected and decorated war hero as Colonel Day," said Sikeston Mayor Jerry Pullen.
Day considers having the Sikeston road named after him "a tremendous honor" both for him personally as well as his family and his wife, Doris, who held onto hope for over five years while he was imprisoned.
"She's part of this recognition," said Day. "I also thought it was very generous of Scott (Matthews) to do that."
Additionally, the street honors the combat veterans of all wars, Day said.
"Sikeston is an extremely patriotic town," Day said. "It sort of represents what America is all about. It's not surprising that it would be Sikeston that would do something as generous as this."
While others may think one road in small town America is no big deal, Day disagrees.
For children growing up in Sikeston, the street "will always be part of their heritage," said Day, passing along the idea "that it's important to be a warrior for your country, to be a patriot."