By MARIA KACIK Staff Writer

SPENCER — More than 15 years ago, Jeremiah Slack marched in Spencer’s Fourth of July parade in a Scout uniform while his father walked at the front of the parade with the American Legion Post 608.

During Friday’s parade, however, Jeremiah marched side-by-side with his father, Frederick, and the American Legion contingent.

“From marching as a Cub Scout to marching with the American Legion, it’s kind of full circle,” Jeremiah’s sister, Heather Slack, said as her brother and father waited for the parade to step off.

Jeremiah Slack (left), who is home on leave from the Air Force, waits with his father, Frederick, to march in Spencer’s Fourth of July parade with the American Legion Post 608 contingent. (Shirley Ware | Photo Editor)

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A member of the Air Force, Jeremiah returned from a tour of duty in Iraq in March. Two weeks after he returned, his first child, Jayden, was born. Jeremiah, his wife, Aimee, and Jayden live at the Air Force base in Cocoa Beach, Fla., where Jeremiah is still on duty.

But Jeremiah, 24, received a month’s leave and used it to make his first trip to his hometown since he left for Iraq. It also was the first time his family met Jayden. And it was the first time in more than a year Jeremiah experienced the rural warmth of Spencer.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen an Amish horse and buggy,” Jeremiah said as one passed by him on Main Street. “It’s nice that I can leave and come back and it’s still the same. I’d definitely want to come back here to settle down some day.”

Frederick, who served in the Army from 1969 to 1971, described Spencer as “a small town stuck 30 years in the past and trying desperately to keep it that way.”

Minutes before the start of the parade, almost the entire village was lining the street to watch.

“This is the biggest day of the year here,” Heather said.

And it’s a big day for Jeremiah, too.

“It’s my favorite holiday,” he said. “It means so much. It has a lot of history to it. Everyone loves Halloween because there’s candy. But this means a lot more.”

It’s that kind of attitude that compelled him to join the Air Force.

“Ever since I was little, I wanted to do something to serve my country. That’s why the Fourth of July means so much to me,” he said.

Kacik may be reached at 330-721-4049 or mkacik@ohio.net.