Standing Guard: A Greensboro Marine’s Decade of Remembrance
Every Memorial Day for nearly a decade, 67-year-old Skip Nix has stood at attention on a busy Greensboro corner in his Marine dress blues, holding his father’s folded American flag. The retired Marine and former fire chief endures two hours in the heat, his aging body protesting, because he believes someone must remind us that “freedom is not free.”
For years, his nephew—Police Sergeant Dale Nix—quietly watched his back from a patrol car, never seeking attention, just ensuring his uncle’s safety during the solemn vigil. But this Memorial Day will be different. Dale was gunned down in December while trying to stop a crime, leaving behind a void that Skip will feel deeply as he takes his post alone.
Despite diabetes and a damaged shoulder, Skip will continue his tradition at Wendover Avenue, honoring not just Dale, but all who gave their lives for our freedom. His simple act of remembrance has touched people worldwide, proving that one person’s dedication to memory can inspire countless others to never forget the price of liberty.