At long last, veterans and their families are getting a cemetery in Eastern Washington, and it is being dedicated Monday just north of Medical Lake.

Gov. Chris Gregoire will be there. So will her husband, Mike, who was a platoon leader and convoy commander with the air defense artillery corps in Vietnam. He will help raise the POW-MIA flag. (Read his commentary on the facing page.)

Among the other political dignitaries scheduled to appear are U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, state Sens. Lisa Brown and Chris Marr, and state Reps. Matt Shea and Kevin Parker.

Though they will be dedicating solemn grounds, this Memorial Day event is cause for celebration. Veterans groups from Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon and North Idaho have been pushing for years for a burial site. The nearest one is Tahoma National Cemetery near Kent, Wash., which is about a four-hour drive from Spokane.

The federal government rejected the Inland Northwest for a national veterans cemetery because its population is too low. But that’s a relative calculation, because about 140,000 veterans live within 75 miles of the new cemetery, and they deserve a burial site that honors their service. The families of deceased military members face considerable inconvenience for graveside visits.

However, cemetery proponents refused to give up and successfully angled for a state facility whose capital costs would be picked up by the feds. Operating costs for the cemetery are a state expense, but much of it will be covered with the sale of veterans license plates. Veterans’ families do not pay burial fees, and concrete casket liners and memorial stones are provided. Eligible spouses and children of veterans will be charged $300 for interment.

Many of the politicians who will be in attendance deserve credit for carrying this plan to the finish line. Legislation sailed through both houses without a single “no” vote.

Though the nation is experiencing deepening political divides, it’s heartening to know that the partisan rancor can be set aside to honor the brave men and women who have selflessly served our country.