10 Local Veterans Honored At Threads Of Valor Ceremony
November 10, 2021 at 1:40 a.m.
10 Local Veterans Honored At Threads Of Valor Ceremony
By Jackie [email protected]
The veterans honored Tuesday were Jack Alshouse, Raymond Grubbs, Bruce Allen Hayden, Joel Robert Light, Clifford D. Linn, Edward D. Mayo, Donald Keith Reinholt, Joe Cephus Shepherd, Lenora R. Stump and Paul Edward Welch.
In fall 2015, two local ladies started meeting at Warsaw’s VFW to make quilts for veterans in Kosciusko County in nursing homes and homeless shelters, said Liberty Sewing Circle member Marsha Huffman.
As of Tuesday, over 260 of the quilts have been distributed. In 2015, a special request was made to the Liberty Sewing Circle to make a large quilt for a veteran in a nursing home to celebrate his 90th birthday.
The Circle’s vision grew with that by making standard-sized quilts for nominated veterans in Kosciusko County, Huffman said.
This year, a pillowcase was also made to go with the quilts, Huffman said.
Anyone can nominate a veteran for the Threads of Valor quilts, as long as they were honorably discharged and live in Kosciusko County, Huffman said.
During the Threads of Valor quilt presentation, Huffman presented each nominated veteran and gave a background for each one.
Alshouse served in the military from 1956 to 1958, serving in Germany for 18 months, Huffman said.
Grubbs was private 1st class in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948. After World War II, he did MP duty. He worked at Tippecanoe Valley Schools as custodian for 22 years. He was married to the late Georgianna and has two daughters and a son. His longest deployment was in Alaska. Grubbs received his quilt and plaque last fall, but received the pillowcase Tuesday.
Hayden was in the Army as an E5. He served from 1966 to 1969 in Vietnam. He spent 13 months in Vietnam. He’s been married for 54 years to Connie. He has a daughter and son and two grandchildren. He retired from Zimmer, Huffman said.
Light is married to Cindy. He was in the Army as an E4. He was in Vietnam for five months and Germany for two months. He was stationed in Fort Riley, Kan., for seven months. He worked for 45 years at RR Donnelley’s.
Linn joined the Navy at 17 with a friend on the buddy system. They did their basic training in Sampson Training Center, Seneca Lake, N.Y. He was stationed aboard on the USS Queens, sailing out of Oregon. He spent most of his time on the USS Queens. He was to relay messages to lookouts from the officer of the deck. On the USS Queen, Linn served in the Philippines, Guam and the Panama Canal, picking military personnel and bringing them back to California. He received the rank of Seaman 1st class. He married Norma in June 1949. They have three daughters, six granddaughters, one grandson, 11 great-grandsons, two great-granddaughters and one great-great-grandson and one great-great-granddaughter. In 1954, he was employed as heavy equipment engineer. He retired in 1992, Huffman said.
Mayo retired from the Air Force as an A1C deck segregant. He was in Germany 1950-54. He was trained in radar radio. Four years of service allowed him to go to college and obtain a degree in engineering. He has been married to Carol for 64 years.
Reinholt was an ESP-3 in the Army. He was in the service in Korea from 1954-56. In late 1954 to 1956, he was stationed in Germany. He and his twin brother graduated from high school and decided to enlist in the military. Their physicals were taken in Indianapolis. His brother was stationed in Alaska, while Reinhold was sent to Korea, routed to Germany. He received the rank of sergeant SP-3. He used the G.I. Bill to further his education, Huffman said.
Shepherd was an E3 in the Army and served from 1967-1968 in Vietnam. He spent 18 months in Germany. He didn’t get to go to the combat zone because he was the sixth son that went into the service and his commanding officer let him know the military couldn’t send him to Vietnam.
Stump was an E4 in the Army, serving in Korea from 1955-57. She was also stationed in Germany, working as a supply clerk. She had basic training in Alabama and she worked in the Pentagon before going overseas.
Paul Edward Welch was an SP4 in the Army 1960-1962 in the Vietnam era. He was in the Army Reserves from 1962-66. His longest deployment was to Fort Meade, Md., Huffman said. He went to Fort Hood for basic training, Huffman said.
Also during the Threads of Valor ceremony, a quilt was presented to Liberty Sewing Circle member Kathy Snell, who stepping away from the Sewing Circle for personal reasons, but will stay involved with the organization.
Patriotic singing was done by Kosciusko Extension Choir.
Latest News
E-Editions
The veterans honored Tuesday were Jack Alshouse, Raymond Grubbs, Bruce Allen Hayden, Joel Robert Light, Clifford D. Linn, Edward D. Mayo, Donald Keith Reinholt, Joe Cephus Shepherd, Lenora R. Stump and Paul Edward Welch.
In fall 2015, two local ladies started meeting at Warsaw’s VFW to make quilts for veterans in Kosciusko County in nursing homes and homeless shelters, said Liberty Sewing Circle member Marsha Huffman.
As of Tuesday, over 260 of the quilts have been distributed. In 2015, a special request was made to the Liberty Sewing Circle to make a large quilt for a veteran in a nursing home to celebrate his 90th birthday.
The Circle’s vision grew with that by making standard-sized quilts for nominated veterans in Kosciusko County, Huffman said.
This year, a pillowcase was also made to go with the quilts, Huffman said.
Anyone can nominate a veteran for the Threads of Valor quilts, as long as they were honorably discharged and live in Kosciusko County, Huffman said.
During the Threads of Valor quilt presentation, Huffman presented each nominated veteran and gave a background for each one.
Alshouse served in the military from 1956 to 1958, serving in Germany for 18 months, Huffman said.
Grubbs was private 1st class in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948. After World War II, he did MP duty. He worked at Tippecanoe Valley Schools as custodian for 22 years. He was married to the late Georgianna and has two daughters and a son. His longest deployment was in Alaska. Grubbs received his quilt and plaque last fall, but received the pillowcase Tuesday.
Hayden was in the Army as an E5. He served from 1966 to 1969 in Vietnam. He spent 13 months in Vietnam. He’s been married for 54 years to Connie. He has a daughter and son and two grandchildren. He retired from Zimmer, Huffman said.
Light is married to Cindy. He was in the Army as an E4. He was in Vietnam for five months and Germany for two months. He was stationed in Fort Riley, Kan., for seven months. He worked for 45 years at RR Donnelley’s.
Linn joined the Navy at 17 with a friend on the buddy system. They did their basic training in Sampson Training Center, Seneca Lake, N.Y. He was stationed aboard on the USS Queens, sailing out of Oregon. He spent most of his time on the USS Queens. He was to relay messages to lookouts from the officer of the deck. On the USS Queen, Linn served in the Philippines, Guam and the Panama Canal, picking military personnel and bringing them back to California. He received the rank of Seaman 1st class. He married Norma in June 1949. They have three daughters, six granddaughters, one grandson, 11 great-grandsons, two great-granddaughters and one great-great-grandson and one great-great-granddaughter. In 1954, he was employed as heavy equipment engineer. He retired in 1992, Huffman said.
Mayo retired from the Air Force as an A1C deck segregant. He was in Germany 1950-54. He was trained in radar radio. Four years of service allowed him to go to college and obtain a degree in engineering. He has been married to Carol for 64 years.
Reinholt was an ESP-3 in the Army. He was in the service in Korea from 1954-56. In late 1954 to 1956, he was stationed in Germany. He and his twin brother graduated from high school and decided to enlist in the military. Their physicals were taken in Indianapolis. His brother was stationed in Alaska, while Reinhold was sent to Korea, routed to Germany. He received the rank of sergeant SP-3. He used the G.I. Bill to further his education, Huffman said.
Shepherd was an E3 in the Army and served from 1967-1968 in Vietnam. He spent 18 months in Germany. He didn’t get to go to the combat zone because he was the sixth son that went into the service and his commanding officer let him know the military couldn’t send him to Vietnam.
Stump was an E4 in the Army, serving in Korea from 1955-57. She was also stationed in Germany, working as a supply clerk. She had basic training in Alabama and she worked in the Pentagon before going overseas.
Paul Edward Welch was an SP4 in the Army 1960-1962 in the Vietnam era. He was in the Army Reserves from 1962-66. His longest deployment was to Fort Meade, Md., Huffman said. He went to Fort Hood for basic training, Huffman said.
Also during the Threads of Valor ceremony, a quilt was presented to Liberty Sewing Circle member Kathy Snell, who stepping away from the Sewing Circle for personal reasons, but will stay involved with the organization.
Patriotic singing was done by Kosciusko Extension Choir.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092