Memorial Day has come to mean the beginning of summer, a time for picnics and barbecues, and a holiday for family to gather around. That happiness and freedom, however, are products of the real cause for the holiday: the sacrifice made by men and women who have fought and died for the freedoms and liberties Americans hold dear.

Many people consider Memorial Day weekend the unofficial kickoff to summer, but visitors at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park said the holiday carries a much deeper meaning.

Marlin Reece is a 104-year-old veteran who served four years during World War II.