ALTON - Sam Roberts, a retired Marine Corps sergeant major and longtime Alton business owner, has been selected as grand marshal of the 159th Alton Memorial Day Parade, which is scheduled to step off at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25, 2026, from Alton Middle School in Alton, Illinois, parade organizers announced.
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The Alton Memorial Day Parade Committee of the East End Improvement Association, Alton Area Optimist Club, and the RiverBend Growth Association, sponsors of this year’s parade, said Roberts was chosen to lead the event.
Roberts graduated from Marquette High School in 1958 and served a 30-year career in the United States Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Forces Reserve in 1991 with the rank of sergeant major. He has been the owner of Roberts Motors since 1967.
Alton Memorial Day Parade Chairman Greg Erler said, “The Committee unanimously and enthusiastically wanted to honor Sam for his service to our country and his unwavering commitment to our community, with the honor of leading this year’s Parade!”
Organizers described Roberts, his wife Sharon, and Roberts Motors as supporters of Lewis and Clark Community College, and said they are committed to philanthropic and charitable causes in the communities they serve.
The parade is described by organizers as the oldest continuously staged parade in the United States, beginning in 1868 and continuing in 2026 with the 159th parade on May 25.
