When Ron Miller was 8 years old, he found a trumpet in his basement and began taking lessons. Miller’s annual tradition of playing the bugle call “Taps” on Memorial Day began in 1976 and was inspired by his grandfather, Morris Avirom, a World War II veteran. He has continued this tradition for 50-plus years every Memorial Day.

Last Memorial Day, as many families mourned the loss of their loved ones in battle, Miller performed Taps on his trumpet across Jewish cemeteries in St. Louis, including Congregation B’nai Amoona, United Hebrew Congregation, Chevra Kadisha, Chesed Shel Emeth, Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol and New Mount Sinai.

“It was so important to my grandfather. He was a part of a post that revolved around Jewish war veterans. Each Memorial Day, they would read all the names of the local Jewish people who’d perished in World War I, then II, then Korea, then Vietnam,” said Miller. “Since I had picked up the trumpet, I always played. I literally grew up with it.”

Miller needs to play the trumpet daily in order to be proficient for the Memorial Day events. His preparation for performing “Taps” usually begins about a month in advance.

“When you play the trumpet, your mouth and your lungs are muscles. And if you don’t use it, you lose it,” he explained. At the beginning of May, I played all sorts of songs along with ‘Taps.’I just need to play a lot.”

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Miller’s tradition of playing “Taps” annually on Memorial Day has stayed consistent even after he played at his grandfather’s funeral. He continued to play through another post, the Jerome L. Goldman Post, carrying on the tradition with Mike and Steve Lander, and their sister Cindy Wallach, honoring their dad, Arthur Lander, a Jewish veteran.

“It’s really about carrying on the tradition because it was so important to my grandfather and to Mr. Lander,” said Miller. “It’s a part of my life.”

Memorial Day traditions have shifted through the years and so has Miller’s audience.

“There used to be a couple hundred people at these events, and many of the Jewish veterans would cry every time I played it, because it reminds them of all their fallen comrades,” Miller said. “However, whether there are people there for funerals or it’s the Boy Scouts putting out flags for all the veterans, or even nobody there at all, I play ‘Taps’ as well as I can. You never know who is going to be there, so if someone is out there listening, I want them to hear it because they may stop in their tracks and look at the flag.”

Although a tradition that was important to his grandfather, Miller reflects on the broader impact of performing “Taps” annually on Memorial Day.

Miller’s performance of “Taps” has touched many hearts, especially those who have lost a hero of their own. Among them is Karen Bland, whose father was a Navy veteran.

“Hearing ‘Taps’ in a cemetery to honor my dad, who was in the Navy, was just so moving. It literally brought me to tears,” said Bland, (who, in full disclosure, is the writer’s mother).

Although a tradition that was important to his grandfather, Miller understands the broader impact of performing “Taps” annually on Memorial Day.

“I think we, in America, have such an amazing life. But we forget that there have been so many people who have sacrificed for us to live this life, and there are many who have made the ultimate sacrifice, which is dying for their country,” he said. “And since the song epitomizes the sacrifices and the solemnness of those who’ve sacrificed so much for us, I hope that’s what people think about when I play. Truly, because playing ‘Taps’ does remind me of how grateful I am to be in this country, and I try to do my part to give back, and I plan to do this until I can’t any longer.”