The Best Years of Our Lives, a remembrance of World War II, presented by the American Veterans Remembrance Association and the Amherst Historical Society, was celebrated in Amherst on November 9.

The event continues Nov. 10 at Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Ave., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to the public.

Approximately 200 people gathered to learn about November 1945, when World War II ended and millions of military men and women returned home, where many changes had occurred.

The event, which featured about 100 people dressed in uniforms and recreational attire of the era, also included music, fashion and the culture of the era.

Elizabeth Fought, public relations manager for the Amherst Historical Society, said reenactors came from all over the country, from as far away as Washington, California, Tennessee, Virginia and many other states, as well as Canada.

At the Village’s St. George Chapel, memorial services spoke of the 32 men who were lost in Amherst and the surrounding areas of Amherst Township, Brownhelm Township and others.

Photographs of the men were displayed in the church for the audience to see as Stan Cook, a chaplain from Indiana, presented information about them and their loved ones and the sense of loss they felt as their family and friends mourned their passing.

“I feel like I know them,” said Cook, who has been researching the men and their families since August in preparation for the weekend event.

Cook’s sermon included the feelings of those who lost loved ones and the legacy they left behind.

In just one story of the day, Cook told of a grandmother who suffered the loss of three grandchildren.

“God is aware of your pain,” Cook said. “God heals us.”

“Victory came at a high price,” Cook told those attending the chapel.

The men “were terrified” but still fought.

“They have our eternal gratitude,” Cook said, adding that their legacy should be taught, shared and remembered.

Jenny and Carl Lishing attended the event with the family dog, Dash, to watch their son Jack Lishing, who was one of the local reenactors.

“It’s a nice little place,” said Carl Lishing of Sandstone Village.

Jenny Lishing said the event was “quite lovely” and expressed her excitement about exploring the town.

Lukas Smith, 21, started reenacting when he was 15 and came up with the idea for the event which he began planning in 2021 after watching the movie titled ‘The Best Years of Our Lives,’ he said.

“We decided to do something different,” Smith said of the planning stages.