Niwot Community Association &
Niwot Business Association
Veterans Day Banner Project
October – November 2020
The NCA and NBA are proud to honor American Veterans through the second annual Niwot Veterans Banner project. From October to November banners will be displayed in downtown Niwot and will include a photo, branch of service, rank, and years of service.
Below is a list of the veterans honored and where their banner is on display in Niwot. Click on each veteran name, or scroll further down this page, to read short biographies on each hero.
On November 8th at 2pm outside Niwot Market there will be a ceremony honoring all our veterans and those that made this project possible.
Download the map to view where each banner is located:
Veterans Banner Map
| Veteran | Lamppost |
|---|---|
| Eugene N Betz | Second Ave – 10 |
| Halton Beumer | Cottonwood Square – 23 |
| Willian Bowman | Second Ave – 24 |
| Cody J Buck | Second Ave – 13 |
| Helen Bulovsky | Cottonwood Square – 9 |
| Myron Chace | Cottonwood Square – 11 |
| Durrell Conner | Second Ave – 3 |
| Ivan Henry “Bill” Dart | Cottonwood Square – 6 |
| John M Darwish | Second Ave – 6 |
| Henry Bailey Doll | Cottonwood Square – 26 |
| Henry Clay Doll | Cottonwood Square – 27 |
| John ‘Jack’ R Dorvee Sr. | Second Ave – 17 |
| William L Evers | Second Ave – 11 |
| Alejandro ‘Alex’ Garcia | Second Ave – 5 |
| Laura Strecker Gastelum | Cottonwood Square – 3 |
| Andy Gettings | Cottonwood Square – 5 |
| Joseph Gonzales | Cottonwood Square – 10 |
| Mary Hardiman | Cottonwood Square – 16 |
| Sarah Strecker Hermida | Cottonwood Square – 1 |
| John W. “Jack” Hinkelman, Jr. | Cottonwood Square – 14 |
| Julie Strecker Hoxha | Cottonwood Square – 2 |
| Owen Irby | Second Ave – 22 |
| Victor Johnson | Second Ave – 20 |
| Mary & Bill Kistler | Second Ave – 12 |
| Ray Larsen | Cottonwood Square – 22 |
| Donald Larson | Second Ave – 19 |
| Thomas Lawhead | Cottonwood Square – 18 |
| Elmer Male | Cottonwood Square – 8 |
| William ‘Bill’ Mason | Second Ave – 16 |
| Leon V Mason | Second Ave – 26 |
| Jacqueline Melvin | Second Ave – 9 |
| Charles A Monroe Jr. | Cottonwood Square – 24 |
| Clarence A Nelsen | Second Ave – 18 |
| Joseph O’Reilly | Cottonwood Square – 13 |
| Joe Pacheco | Second Ave – 8 |
| Richard Piland | Second Ave – 23 |
| Charles Edward Quinn | Cottonwood Square – 7 |
| Eugene L Ray | Second Ave – 27 |
| Cyril Raymond | Cottonwood Square – 21 |
| Randall S Rehn | Cottonwood Square – 25 |
| Charles A Rodgers | Second Ave – 15 |
| Steve Rollman | Second Ave – 21 |
| Lawrence Russell | Cottonwood Square – 4 |
| Donald Max Sartori | Second Ave – 4 |
| Donald Schneider | Cottonwood Square – 12 |
| Gismonde A Silvestrone | Second Ave – 25 |
| Kirk Stewart | Cottonwood Square – 15 |
| John “Jack” Sullivan | Cottonwood Square – 19 |
| Lindsay Copperberg Underwood | Cottonwood Square – 20 |
| James Whitener | Second Ave – 14 |
| Alexis Wilde | Cottonwood Square – 17 |
| Franklin C Wright | Second Ave – 7 |
| James Albert Zander | Second Ave – 1 |
Biographies
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Eugene N. Betz
Sponsor: Karlynn & Ed Spreder
Banner location:
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Eugene was born in October 1922 in Blissfield, Michigan. He entered the service at age 21 and became a Medic in the Army. After the war he returned to MI where he met his wife-to-be, Alice at a dance in Toledo Ohio. They raised their 5 children in Sand Creek MI. Gene was a full time farmer and worked to support his family with a full time factory job. In addition, he spent 20+ years in church and prison ministry. He died at age 93.
Gene never talked much about the war except for a couple times when he described being caught in crossfire while he was trying to help a soldier that had been injured. He briefly mentioned a time he entered a concentration camp shortly after it had been liberated. He was part of the silent majority of American military heroes.
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Halton Beumer
Sponsor: Patty & David Beumer
Banner location:
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William Bowman
Sponsor: Cornelia Sawle
Banner location: Second Ave – 24 |
William Bowman was born on a farm in Burlington, Indiana where he spent his childhood. He was quite athletic and was known for his basketball skills.
In World War II, he flew the “Hump”, the Himalayan Mountains, carrying supplies from India to China. This was extremely dangerous and made more difficult by a lack of reliable charts and an absence of radio navigation aids. When fully loaded, Douglas DC-3s could not climb high enough to clear all the peaks and were forced to weave a perilous path through the mountains, a task that was virtually impossible when the treacherous Himalayan weather closed in. Turbulence could force a plane to drop thousands of feet in mere seconds. He didn’t talk about his war days until near the end of his life when he described some of the Himalayan storms he had flown through. He was amazed his plane had stayed aloft during those flights.
After the war, he moved to Chicago and married Carolyn Doane and had three daughters. He joined his father-in-law’s family business, Cheshire, which designed and built machines that made address labels for magazine subscriptions at a time when Time, Life, and many other magazines were in their heyday.
In 1967, when he retired, William built a house in Dillon, Colorado where he and his family started spending much of their time there.
Eventually, William and his wife moved to Carefree, Arizona where his children and 9 grandkids often visited him. He lived to the age of 93 and was much loved by all.
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Cody J. Buck
Sponsor: Dayna Roane
Banner location: Second Ave – 13 |
Cody J. Buck, who attended Niwot Elementary/Sunset/Niwot HS and then enrolled in West Point and served eight years in the military.
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Helen Bulovsky
Sponsor: Mary Claire Collins
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 9 |
Helen Bulovsky was born in Madison, Wisconsin on April 6, 1895. She graduated from Madison General Hospital Nurses Training in October 1917 and was inspired to join the Army Nurse Corps as the United States had entered WWI just six months earlier.
She was assigned to U.S. Army Base Hospital 22 located near Bordeaux, France but spent most of her time in tented field and evacuation hospitals close behind the front line in France and Belgium. Helen served from April 3, 1918 to April 12, 1919 and was in Europe from June 3, 1918 to March 5, 1919. She cared for the wounded, assisted in surgery standing in the ever present, ankle-deep mud, hungered for hot food and searched for drinkable water. Although homesick and lonesome she remained committed to “sacrifice anything to help the boys” so horribly wounded and incredibly brave.
Helen received a WWI Victory Medal and was recognized for her participation in these major battle grounds:
– Aisne-Marne
– Ypres-Lys
– Meuse-Argonne
Helen returned to Madison a hometown hero and died 4 years later of heart failure at the age of 27. She was buried with full military honors. From her obituary in the Madison Capital Times, “Miss Bulovsky was one of those rare souls who radiated cheerfulness and happiness wherever she appeared.”
Banner sponsored by her nieces Brooke Bulovsky Cameron and Janice Collins
and her great niece, Mary Claire Collins
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Myron Chace
Sponsor: Diane & Bob
|
Myron was a Radio Technician in the Navy at the age of 20 during World War I. After graduating from Worchester Polytechinical Institute in 1921 he began his career at AT&T as an Electrical Engineer. Myron paused his professional life to rejoined the military and serve during World War II – this time in the Army Signal Corps. His tours took him to New Guinea and the Philippines, eventually ending up in General MacArthur’s Pacific Headquarters. He received the Philippine Liberation ribbon for his efforts. He retired from military service with the rank of Colonel.
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Durrell Conner
Sponsor: Leslie Kaczeus
|
Durrell was born in 1918 in Tucumcari NM and moved with his family to California at the age of 4. Two years after graduation, he joined the United States Navy. He completed basic training in San Diego and was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On Dec. 7, 1941, Durrell was aboard the battleship U.S.S. California when the attack on the United States occurred. Fortunately, he suffered no injuries, but lost many of his shipmates that day. He was later assigned to several stations around the world including Japan, Guam and Washington D.C. After retiring in 1962, he and his wife Mahala (Kay) moved to Whitethorn California where they lived on the Mattole River.
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Ivan Henry “Bill” Dart
Sponsor: Karen Knutsen Quinn
Banner location:
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Ivan, or Bill as all his friends called him, was born in Litchfield, Minnesota on December 5, 1897 and died in Minnetonka, Minnesota on January 26, 1977. To me he was Grandpa. He was as close as a father to me, as he and my Grandmother raised me and my siblings after our parent’s death when we were all young.
Grandpa was a Corporal in the Medical Corp during WWI, but like so many veterans he didn’t like to talk about his war experiences. However, we all learned a lot about his time in France from a war album that he created with amazing photographs, letters he had written home to his parents, photos from captured German soldiers, postcards and more. Photos included French children sitting in the woods watching practice shell fire, pictures of direct hits on the Rheims Cathedral, captured German tanks and prisoners and many more incredible images of the war and its devastation. One series of five photos showed, “The supposedly innocent throwing of hand grenades which caused the explosion of this ammunition dump and almost wrecked President Wilson’s Private car.” Written in his own handwriting, it goes on to say the incident happened North of Soissons on March 23, 1919 and “had the President and his party arrived a moment sooner their car would have gone with the ammo dump!” There are three photos of the ammunition dump explosion and two pictures of President Wilson in his car along with his entourage. One 8×10 photo, dated 11-11-19, shows the Generals of the Allied Armies lined up in full uniforms at a ceremony surrounded by dignitaries, presumably associated with the signing of the Armistice ending WWI.
There was also one particularly touching letter he wrote about a dear childhood friend who was killed in France at the famous battle of Belleau Woods. At the age of twenty, the two friends had been amongst the first to enlist. Grandpa wrote the letter to his friend’s parents all about the circumstance of their son’s death and what a hero he was. The letter was printed in the Litchfield newspaper. It speaks of Grandpa’s compassion, caring and deep bond with his lifelong buddy and the gift he gave his friend’s family and whole community who knew and loved this brave soldier.
Bill grew up in Litchfield, Minnesota and was a very talented athlete. He competed in each of the sports the school offered because they were a small rural school. His Senior year of high school, Bill was the captain of both the basketball and football teams and Litchfield soundly defeated all of their opponents.
Bill loved the outdoors and did a lot of hunting and fishing throughout his life. He instilled that love in his children and grandchildren, too. He won many trophies for trap shooting. He worked for Brown and Bigelow, Remembrance Advertising in the Twin Cities for 35 years and retired as their General Sales Manager after a very successful career.
Grandpa was my hero. He was one of the kindest men I have ever known, patient, generous and thoughtful. He was a quiet, soft spoken man but when he spoke, we listened. I will always be grateful to my Grandfather for raising me and my siblings and giving us a home filled with his love and the good values he instilled in each of us.
I have a deep respect and admiration for all the men and women who have served, or are currently serving, in our military, as well as for their families who support and care for each other in the absence of their loved ones. Please know you are appreciated beyond what any of us could ever express.
Respectfully submitted by,
Karen Knutsen Quinn
Niwot, Colorado…. in honor of my Grandpa (Ivan Henry Dart) on Veterans Day 2020
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John M. Darwish
Sponsor: Thomas Darwish
Banner location: Second Ave – 6 |
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Henry Bailey Doll
Sponsor: Kathy Koehler
Banner location:
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In 1900 a crisis erupted in China as the “Boxers” increased their resistance to foreign influence and presence. By the end of the nineteenth century, several countries had already established spheres of influence in China. In the fall of 1899, Secretary of State John Hay wrote that the United States, a late arrival, wanted to maintain an “open door policy” in China. If the Boxers succeeded in pushing the United States and other foreign countries out, this newly opened door could soon be shut. On May 31 1900, Capt. John T. Myers, USMC, arrived in Peking along with approximately 350 foreign sailors and marines who were sent to protect their respective legations.
After serving in the Boxer Rebellion, Henry Bailey Doll, age 21, moved to Denver, Colorado to live with his parents and attend college for an engineering degree. He was a lead contract construction engineer on the Barker Dam in Nederland. After marrying in 1911, he and his family moved around the US on construction contracted jobs. He and his family returned to Boulder and lived at 1324 Pine Street. Henry passed away in 1957 at age 78.
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Henry Clay Doll
Sponsor: Kathy Koehler
Banner location:
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Mr. Doll was born in 1838 in Pennsylvania. After the Civil War, he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and married Catherine Bushnell Geisy. The couple moved to Denver, Colorado where he became a partner and served as secretary and treasurer for the Robertson & Doll Carriage Company which was incorporated in 1882 The building on Arapahoe Street at the corner of Fourteenth still remains today. Henry and Catherine had five children. Henry passed away in 1927 at age 89 in Denver.
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John ‘Jack’ R. Dorvee Sr.
Sponsor: Jim & Vicky Dorvee
Banner location: Second Ave – 17 |
Born in 1931 in South Glens Falls, NY, Jack grew up during a time when the atrocities, sacrifice and glory of World War II had a significant impact on his formative years. At age 19, Jack joined the US Marines at the beginning of the Korean War. He served two tours of duty, where most notably he fought courageously at the battle of Chosin Reservoir. As a result of a shrapnel injury, Jack was awarded the purple heart. He returned to South Glens Falls after the war and married the love of his life, Rose. They spent 60 years together before he passed.
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William L. Evers
Sponsor: Dayna Roane
Banner location: Second Ave – 11 |
William L Evers lived in Niwot from 2008 until his passing in Dec 2012
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Alejandro ‘Alex’ Garcia
Sponsor:James Fudge
Banner location: Second Ave – 5 |
Alex was born on April 21, 1920 in El Paso, Texas. During World War II, 1942 – 1945 he served as a Supply Sergeant with the U.S. Army Air Corp, 451st Bombardment Group, in North Africa, Sicily and mainland Italy. Alex became a letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service where he served for 24 years. Alex passed away June 27, 2019, and is survived by four sons and one daughter, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
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Laura Strecker Gastelum
Sponsor: Don & Patty Strecker
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Laura Strecker Gastelum is a Colorado native and graduated from Niwot High School as an Honor Student in 2001. She accepted a Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship at the College of Saint Benedict in Saint Joseph, Minnesota and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Upon graduating and passing her national nursing licensure examination, she was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps.
Laura was assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, TX from 2006-2009 as a medical-surgical nurse. While there, she was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and voluntarily deployed with the 86th Combat Support Hospital from Fort Campbell, Kentucky on a 15-month tour to a hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. She was there from October 2007-January 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Following her deployment, Laura briefly returned to Brooke Army Medical Center, was promoted to Captain, and then reassigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska. She served there from 2009-2012 as the Troop Health Clinic head nurse. After her Alaska tour, Laura chose to leave active duty and join the Army Reserves, in which she served from 2012-2016. She was promoted to Major in 2016 prior to leaving the Army Reserves and entering the inactive reserves where she currently serves.
Since leaving active duty, Laura has been working as a hospice nurse in both home-based and inpatient settings. Her most recent job was at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center where she worked as the Assistant Nurse Manager on the hospice and palliative care ward.
Laura entered graduate school at the University of Minnesota in 2015 to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a specialty in Integrative Health and Healing. She graduated in May of 2020 and hopes to apply her degree to hospice settings and military veterans in the future.
Laura is a graduate of the Medical Officer Basic Course, Medical Captain’s Career Course, Head Nurse Course, and Combat Casualty Care Course.
Her awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (1 CS), and the Overseas Service Ribbon (2)
Laura is married to Sergeant First Class Uriel Gastelum who serves on Active Duty in the U.S. Army. They recently had their first child, Claire, and currently reside in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
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Andy Gettings
Sponsor: Kathy Trauner
Banner location:
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Andy Gettings was born in the Bronx, NY in 1924, grew up during the Great Depression, and eagerly signed up to fight in World War II as soon as he turned 18. He served as a Private First Class in the Army Air Force. During Andy’s training his father died unexpectedly, and Andy was sent home for the funeral instead of traveling overseas with his unit. He worked stateside for the remainder of his service, training pilots at bases throughout the United States. After the war, he returned to New York, married his 9th grade sweetheart, raised three children, and always counted himself as a lucky man. Andy died in June of 2016 at the age of 91.
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Joseph GonzalesSponsor: Pat Murphy
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 10 |
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Mary Hardiman
Sponsor: Laura Graziano
Banner location:
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Mary Hardiman was Honorably Discharged as a Financial Management Technician from the US Army January of 2017. Her time in service was focused in financial management spanning from military payments to federal government contract pay through DFAS, Department of Finance and Accounting Services. After departing Ft. Carson and completing her 7 years of service, she moved to Hawaii to start a career in massage/manual therapies and personal training. Mary hopes to inspire and lead others towards fully expressing and manifest their best self through their physical bodies.
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Sarah Strecker HermidaSponsor: Don & Patty Strecker
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Sarah Strecker Hermida is a Colorado Native and graduated from Niwot High School as Salutatorian in 1999. She accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point in June 1999.
Sarah graduated from the USMA in May 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. She was commissioned as a 2nd LT in the Adjutant General (AG) Corps of the U.S. Army. Her first duty assignment was in the 1st Personnel Command as the Rear Detachment Commander, Detachment Bravo, 90th Personnel Services Battalion (PSB), in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Sarah was promoted to 1st LT in 2004.
Sarah then served as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, 90th Postal Company, 90th PSB. In 2005, Sarah deployed to Kuwait for one year in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) where she was the S-1 and Adjutant, 90th PSB. Her unit provided command and control for the reception, training, and redeployment coordination for hundreds of thousands of service members transiting throughout the Middle East.
Following redeployment to Germany in 2006 Sarah attended the Adjutant General’s Captains Career Course (AGCCC) at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and was promoted to Captain. While attending the AGCCC, she was selected by the staff of the Soldier Support Institute to serve as a staff planner and operations officer in redeveloping the core curriculum for both the AGCCC and the Adjutant General’s Basic Officer Leader Course (AGBOLC-B).
Following graduation of the AGCCC Sarah assumed command of the Ogden Recruiting Company, Salt Lake City Battalion, 6th Recruiting Brigade, in Ogden, Utah in June 2007. She commanded the Ogden Recruiting Company from 2007 until 2009, with the company achieving the honor of being the United States Army Recruiting Command’s (USAREC) top company for fiscal year 2009.
After relinquishing command in June 2009, Sarah transferred to the US Army Reserves and served in active reserve status with the 2215th and 2217th Mobilization Support Battalions at Fort Carson, CO. She was promoted to Major in October 2012 and transferred to the inactive reserves in January 2015.
Sarah is a graduate of the US Army Intermediate Level Education (ILE) Command and General Staff Officer Course (CGSC), the Recruiting Company Commanders Course, the AGCCC, the Unit Movement Officer Course, and AGBOLC-B.
Sarah’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), Army Achievement Medal (1OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the U.S. Army Recruiter Badge, and the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (BRONZE).
Sarah is married to Major John Hermida, an active duty AG officer stationed at Ft Carson, CO where they live with their two children Emily and Jack.
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John W. “Jack” Hinkelman, Jr.
Sponsor: Pam (Hinkelman) Tennant
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Jack enlisted in the Navy in 1943 in the United States Naval Reserve serving onboard ships as an Ensign and later as a Lt. Commander.
At the end of WWII, he was sometimes stationed up and down the east coast and met our mom, Joy, as she came aboard his ship for a tour in Wilmington N.C. They eventually married and were stationed in Pensacola, Florida, where he attended flight school to became a Naval aviator. During the Korean War, he flew combat missions in an F4U airplane off of carriers in the Pacific theater.
Later, through the Navy, he went on to earn his masters degree in atmospheric sciences working as a Naval liaison with the FAA in Washington until his retirement.
In 1963, he retired from the Navy as a Commander and brought his family west to Boulder Colorado to join the weather team at the newly formed NCAR. He worked on atmospheric research through aviation and was part of a flight team that took him around the world to study weather. He also had tenure at NOAA and his accomplishments were primarily related to weather and aviation.
Later during his retirement, he had the opportunity to help set up weather radar systems at airports around the world.
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Julie Strecker Hoxha
Sponsor: Don & Patty Strecker
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Julie Strecker Hoxha is a Colorado native and graduated from Niwot High School as an Honor Student in 2004. She accepted a Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Julie graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology and law studies. She commissioned as a 2nd LT in the United States Army and was assigned to the Chemical Corps.
Julie’s first duty station was at the Army base in Schweinfurt, Germany where she spent three years, returning to the states in 2012. During that tour of duty Julie was promoted to 1st LT. After Germany, Julie attended the Signal Corps school at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and transferred to the Signal Corps in 2012.
Julie’s next assignment was at Fort Hood, Texas, as the BN S6 with the 1st MED BDE. There she was promoted to Captain in 2012 and was sent to the Captain’s Career Course in Fort Gordon, Georgia.
In 2014, Julie volunteered for overseas assignment in Qatar and was deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan for one year during Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS). Upon her return in 2015, she was stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
Julie transferred to the Army Reserves in 2018 and was also promoted to Major that year. She is currently serving in the Army Reserves at Fort Bragg, NC as a Command and General Staff College student.
Julie is a graduate of the Chemical Basic Officer Leader’s Course, Signal Corps Captain’s Career Course, Airborne Course and will complete the Intermediate Level Education (ILE) Course in summer 2021.
Her awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 CS), Overseas Service Ribbon (3), NATO medal, Parachutist badge, and the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (gold).
Julie is married to Major Bimi Hoxha who serves on Active Duty in the U.S. Army. They recently had their first child, Nora, and currently reside at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
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Owen Irby
Sponsor: Jan Kahl
Banner location: Second Ave – 22 |
Owen was born January 2nd 1923. He was inducted in the Army Jan 6, 1943 and became a waist gunner on a B17 named “I’ll Be Around”. He was shot down April 29, 1944 after 15 missions. And landed in The North Sea and captured by the Germans April 30, 1944 and was a prisoner of war until he was liberated by the British April 16, 1945 and discharged October 18, 1945.
He attended the American Academy of Horology in Denver Colorado to become a watchmaker. He married Rita Travis and moved back to his home state of Arkansas where they had four children. They returned to Colorado in 1962. In 1965 He purchased Schapell’s Jewelers in Boulder, CO. and retired 30 years later. He work with his youngest daughter at Niwot Jewelry & Gifts until his death in 1998.
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Victor Johnson
Sponsor: Joyce Johnson
Banner location: Second Ave – 20 |
Victor Johnson was born on October 16, 1927 in Niagra Falls, N.Y., grew up in New York City, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corp.. after graduating high school in 1945, near the end of World War II. After serving in China for two and a half years, he served in Korea until going into flight training, being commissioned in 1952 as a regular officer, and subsequently flying prop and jet airplanes and later, helicopters in Vietnam. When he returned to the United States after the Vietnam war, he was a flight instructor in Pensacola Florida.
Retiring in 1967 as a Major in the USMC, he moved to Boulder, Colorado and worked as a project engineer at Ball Aerospace for twenty-three years, later moving to Niwot in 1996, where he still lives.
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Mary & Bill Kistler
Sponsor: Tim & Carrie Wise
Banner location: Second Ave – 12 |
The banner is a picture of my (Carrie Kistler Wise) parents.
I do not have any written history of my dad’s service during World War II. What I do know is my folks met and fell in love when they were both working at Lockheed in Burbank, California. That was at the beginning of the war.
Mom was a “Rosie the Riveter”. Dad was a machinist. In a letter I found of my mom’s to a sister she said: “The photo was taken when Bill had a few days in California before being sent to Norfolk, Virginia”. Mom was still working at Lockheed. Mom wrote to her sister that they got along so well and she was so happy. Dad wanted her to move to Virginia and mom was concerned about leaving her job because they were moving her to another project and she was excited about it. Mom made the move to Virginia.
They were constant partners and loving companions. Mom & dad eventually moved back to California where they made a family with 5 children.
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Ray Larsen
Sponsor: Terry Larsen
Banner location:
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Ray was born March 7, 1928 in Omaha Nebraska. His father initially owned a bank in Potter Nebraska, but they moved around when his father lost the bank during the depression. Ray enlisted in the Navy towards the end of the Second World War. The war ended as he was being deployed so that he ended up serving as part of the U.S. occupational forces in Japan. He served on the USS Chicago, a Heavy Cruiser, which was the Admiral’s flagship.
After returning from Japan he attended San Jose State University and earned a master’s degree in Business Administration and secured a teaching credential.
Ray was recalled to the Navy during the Korea war and served at a Navy base in the Aleutian Islands for a time during this period.
Ray and Marcia met when they both attended San Jose State University and were married Nov, 28, 1952 in San Jose Ca.
Upon Ray receiving his teaching credential, Ray and Marcia move to San Luis Obispo, Ca. where Ray taught at a local Junior High School. They then moved to Santa Rosa, CA where Ray initially taught at Santa Rosa High School and then transferred to Montgomery High School, where he taught till he retired in 1988. Ray and Marcia eventually built a home in Nevada City, Ca. where they stayed until moving to Phoenix Az in 2015.
They raised three boys and now have 7 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Ray passed away Jan 3, 2020 at 91 years of age of natural causes.
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Donald Larson
Sponsor: Larson & Hawksworth families
Banner location: Second Ave – 19 |
Colonel Donald William Larson was in the United States Army and fought for his country in three wars. He joined the Army during World War II and fought as an infantry paratrooper in the Battle of the Bulge. After returning home and graduating from college, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and was sent to fight the near the Chinese border in the Korean War. While there he was injured by a hand grenade and received the Purple Heart. During the war in Vietnam he led troops in battles guarding the US Headquarters in Saigon during the Tet Offensive of early 1968.
In peacetime Colonel Larson was stationed at posts around the world, from Hawaii to Bavaria. Among these was a posting as a Green Beret officer in the Tenth Special Forces and another as the Commander of the 1st Battalion (Airborn), 506th Infantry (of “Saving Private Ryan” fame). He won many awards and decorations, including two Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Infantry and Master Parachutist badges.
Banner sponsored by the Larson and Hawksworth families.
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Thomas Lawhead
Sponsor: Terry Larsen
Banner location:
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After graduating from high school in Boise Idaho, Tom joined the Navy at the age of 17. He chose the Navy because he had never seen the ocean. After completing Basic and Radio Operator Training he joined the crew of the submarine USS Torsk whose mission was to patrol the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately World War II ended 6 weeks after setting sail.
After discharge he attended Boise Junior College and Oregon State University. Still enchanted with the idea of travel, he took a job with a construction company in Morocco. After this job, he toured Europe, and returned home as a crewman on a merchant ship.
He returned home to Idaho, but soon followed high school friends to San Francisco where he met our mother Dedo Josephine Misley. They were married, and he took a job with IBM where he began a new 34 year adventure while transferring to a new locations several times during his career.
He lived to the age of 87, but said that the time he enjoyed the most in his life was raising his family with our Mother.
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Elmer Male
Sponsor: Pat Murphy
Banner location:
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William ‘Bill’ Mason
Sponsor: Jill & Bill Whitener
Banner location: Second Ave – 16 |
William “Bill” Mason was born December 6, 1924 in Watertown, New York. At 18 years old, he registered for the draft since World War II was underway. He volunteered for the 10th Mountain Division ski troops. He needed 3 letters of recommendation which accepted him into the ski troops. It was February 1943 and he reported to Camp Hale near Leadville, Colorado. He was sent there by train. Some German soldiers who were prisoners on the train were unfriendly. The war was just beginning for him. He arrived at Camp Hale, altitude of 9500 feet in the middle of a blizzard. He was assigned to Co. F86th Infantry troop. He met many new buddies. Lots of training and exercises took place. After handling M-1 Rifles, Browning Automatic Rifles, machine guns, grenades, mortars and bayonets he got his ski equipment and trained at Cooper Hill which was about 6 miles from Camp Hale on Tennessee Pass. He would hike up the ski hill with heavy packs and rifles. He learned to ski with a heavy pack on his back in many special assignments. The 10th Mountain Division continued to grow and was made up of the 85th, 86th and 87th Regiments. The support groups included engineers, medical, artillery, M.P.’s and communications. They were then 10,000 strong. In 1944, he was shipped to Camp Swift, Texas in weather over 100 degrees to do some flatland training. They had 25 mile day hikes and combat training with ammo flying overhead. In November, 1944 the 86th Regiment left for overseas. They were shipped to Fort Patrick Henry in Virginia and a few days later boarded the U.S.S. Argentina for their trip overseas. They ended up in Naples, Italy in early December 1944. Naples had been hit quite hard. Then they were put on a small ship to Liverno. A few days later they were moved into the front lines and fox holes to live in. It was a great deal of patrol work scouting the German lines. In February, 1945 the troops moved to Riva Ridge in Italy. Company F86th Regiment was chosen to be one of the attacking units. It became an all night climb with fog at the top. That helped them. The Germans had trip wires along the edge of the ridge and one was set off. All hell broke loose! They had surprised the Germans and were able to take charge of Riva Ridge. On April 14, 1945 they started down the mountain and the German began to counter attack all night long. The 10th 86th F was able to hold their position. He received a Bronze Star Medal for his actions that day. The Germans were driven into Po Valley, were captured, and taken as prisoners. Soon after the 10th moved along Lake Garda and they were outside Rive when the war had been declared “OVER.” The job had been completed. The war ended May 8, 1945. He was transferred to Yugoslavia border for one month and then sent to Florence, Italy and shipped back to the states. He arrived home in August 1945 just as the Japanese had surrendered. He was discharged from Fort Logan, Colorado on November 26, 1945. He worked after the war and met his wife, Betty. They had two children. In 1953, he moved his wife and two children to Aspen, Colorado where he started the ski industry. They became dedicated Aspenites and are now buried in Aspen, Colorado. In September 2018, his two daughters and their husbands retraced their father’s steps on Riva Ridge in Italy. WOW!!! A very powerful experience and adventure it was.
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Leon V Mason
Sponsor: Sheila Ray
Banner location: Second Ave – 26 |
Leon V. Mason was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1933 and graduated from Kansas University. In 1955 he was commissioned as an officer in the US Air Force and served two years active duty at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. He continued serving his country for another 26 years as a reservist, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. For three years, he was Deputy Commander of the Air Force Reserve Recovery Unit. His Technical Intelligence specialty took him to such assignments at the Pentagon, Wright-Patterson AFB, Lindsey AF Station, Germany, and Lowry AFB.
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Jacqueline Melvin
Sponsor: Chuck Klueber
Banner location: Second Ave – 9 |
Jacqueline was born in 1921 in Racine, WI. She longed to serve her country in the air, like her older brother Edward did! Stationed in San Diego, she was then chosen for Navy Flight Nurse school at Alameda NAS to specifically support Admiral Nimitz in the evacuation of wounded Marines from The Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa ( VRE-1). Under treacherous conditions, flights were from Guam to the target areas, surrounded by kamikazees. LT Jacquet and 107 Navy flight nurses evacuated 9600 wounded in 3 months ( 1 April- 22 June 1945) and brought them to Guam. She stated that she was “ just doing my job!” After the war ended, she served at NAS Glenview. LT Jacquet married COL Martin Melvin, USMC, and had 8 children, 4 of whom served proudly!
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Charles A. Monroe Jr.
Sponsor: Kathy Koehler
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 24 |
Chuck was born in Boulder, Colorado in 1914 into a heritage family. He attended and graduated from Boulder schools, then graduated from the University of Colorado and was tapped by the Delta Sigma Pi (honorary business society). He was employed at the Boulder Daily Camera when he began service in the Army Air Corp, European theatre (Germany, Belgium, England) in World War II from 1942 – 1946. While in Europe, Chuck wrote articles to let citizens at home know what was happening in the war which were published in the newspaper. With an honorable discharge from military service, he returned to work at the Boulder Daily Camera as circulation and production manager for over 25 years.
He was a devoted family man and very active in the Boulder business community, church, charitable organizations, and he and his wife, Mary, were active CU alumni and avid supporters of the football program.
Chuck enjoyed bowling in the winter months and loved to golf. An accomplished golfer with a zero handicap, he consulted on the build and layout of the Boulder Country Club golf course in 1964-1965. He was President of the Club at the time of his sudden death in 1968.
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Clarence A. Nelsen
Sponsor: Julie Breyer
Banner location: Second Ave – 18 |
Clarence Andrew Nelsen was born in Colby, Wisconsin on May 15, 1922. As a child he was in an accident which caused him to lose the sight in his left eye. When the United States entered WWII he was one of the first in line to enlist. He was hopeful that the United States Army would take him even with his disability. He was sent from line to line receiving the same notification that he would be unable to serve until the last line where someone noticed that he had electronics experience. Clarence was enlisted, sent for training in California and then to Hawaii. He was soon stationed on Iwo Jima where he proudly served as a radio technician for the duration of the war.
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Joseph O’Reilly
Sponsor: Patty & David Beumer
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Joe Pacheco
Sponsors: Joe’s sons and spouses:
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Pvt Joe Pacheco Native American born January 18, 1928 of the Kewa Pueblo, NM (formerly known as Santo Domingo Pueblo) was one of many Native Americans from New Mexico who joined, fought and died during WW II. After Pearl Harbors attack my father joined the Army where he was assigned to the 4th infantry Division. My Father was deployed overseas to fight in Europe, during the European campaign he was injured during a street fight. He received the Purple heart for. After recovering from his injuries he returned back to his Unit. After the war he returned to the US and resided in Kansas City, Mo where he became a Jeweler, married my Mother Lilia Lopez and raised 3 boys. Dad didn’t talk much about the war once in awhile he would mention a few episodes. My father passed away at an early age, but his memories live on. The Pacheco family are very proud of our Father, he was a good man, a Great father who took good care of his family no matter what. The Pacheco family will always honor him for his service and duty and as an American Native who fought for his country.
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Richard A. Piland
Sponsor: Dixie Piland
Banner location: Second Ave – 23 |
Commander Piland’s Naval Aviation career began in while he was at Oregon State University as he began Aviation Officer Candidate School in the summers. He was commissioned in September 1969, and began flight training at NAS Whiting Field, Fla. and NAS Corpus Christi, Tx. Dick was designated a Naval Aviator in May 1971.
He was assigned to fly P-3 Orions conducting operational and training flights at Patrol Squadron 46 at NAS Moffett Field, Ca. and MCAS Iwakuni, Japan from 1971 to 1975. Their main mission was to spot, identify, and track submarines off the coast of Vietnam.
From 1975 to 1978, Dick returned to NAS Whiting Field, Fla. as a flight instructor. He was honored as Flight Instructor of the Year and was privileged to bring the new T34C prop jet trainers from the Beechcraft factory in Kansas to Whiting Field as a replacement for the T34B’s.
Landing on a carrier was a thrilling experience during training and Dick got to continue this while stationed on the USS Enterprise CVN 65. Although this tour sadly ended in dry dock in Bremerton, Wa., he continued to instruct and train pilots.
In 1980 to 1984, Dick returned to NAS Moffett Field and MCAS Iwakuni, Japan to again serve as a P-3 Orion pilot at Patrol Squadron 47.
The high point of Dick’s career was the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Facility in Mildenhall, U.K., a Fleet Logistics Support Squadron. He received the Meritorious Service Medal for his commitment and performance.
Commander Piland retired from the Navy in September 1989 to Niwot, CO. where he began a second career as a pilot for United Air Lines.
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Charles Edward Quinn
Sponsors: his children:
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Charles “Charlie” was born December 28, 1923 in Accoville, West Virginia. His family then moved to Portage, Pennsylvania when Charlie was quite young. Charlie joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 and was part of the 87th Air Service Command Transport Group in England. He was one of five brothers in the United States Armed Forces at the same time. Pfc. Charles E. Quinn was an aerial engineer for the Douglas C-47 Air Transport Group and Consolidated B-24 aircraft over Europe.
Flying from the largest Trans-Channel Air Freight Depot in Britain, Charlie helped to carry more than 60,000,000 pounds of critically-needed supplies and equipment to ground forces in Germany. When all other transportation was bogged down, the giant Douglas transport planes were able to land close to the troops with the war material they needed. Charlie made several flights to Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Holland, and Germany as well as a special Christmas Eve trip to carry troops to the front. He was also part of the release of injured soldiers from the front.
Dad returned home to Pennsylvania to marry his high school sweetheart Harriet where they raised their seven children and enjoyed a wonderful and loving 70 years together.
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Eugene L. Ray
Sponsor: Sheila Ray
Banner location: Second Ave – 27 |
Eugene L. Ray was born in Strawn, Kansas in 1922 and graduated from High School there. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in October of 1942. He trained in California and was sent to the European Theater of Operations for 21 months. He served as Crew Chief of a P-38 maintenance crew until November of 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star for military achievement, 6 campaign battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. He left the military as a Technical Sergeant. He married his high school Sweetheart, Berta and raised 4 children.
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Cyril Raymond
Sponsor: Denise & Derek Curd
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Cyril Raymond was born Dec. 15, 1909, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, the son of Roy B. and Bessie Raymond. He married Marjorie L. Brereton Nov. 6, 1946, at First Christian Church in Fairfield, Iowa.
He grew up in Fairfield and served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years from 1928-1934. He worked as a pressman at the Fairfield Daily Ledger and then at The Dexter Co. from 1937 until his retirement in 1971. He served as first sergeant with the 133rd Service Company, 34th Infantry Division, of the National Guard. He was inducted in 1941 and discharged from active duty in 1945, after serving with the 1st Battle Group serving in the European Theater of Operations. He received the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Soldier’s Medal and Combat Infantry Badge. In total, Cyril served for more than 30 years as he re-enlisted in 1946 and retired in December 1961 with the rank of chief warrant officer 4.
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Randall S. Rehn
Sponsor: Kathy Koehler
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 25 |
Randy died April 3, 2003, Serving Operation Iraq Freedom.
With 16 years of service since joining the Army in 1997, he was one of three soldiers killed when their Bradley fighting vehicle was bombed.
Randy graduated from Niwot High School in Niwot, Colorado in 1985 where he made all state in wrestling and was a standout football player. He planned to have a career in military service because, “he believed in what he was doing. He was fighting for the right reasons – to fight terrorism and make it a safe place for people to live. He was fighting for everyone’s baby and grandbaby,” said his older brother Joe.
Randy liked to golf and hunt, and he had an outgoing personality while being a practical joker always looking for new ways to make people laugh. “He was bubbly and full of laughter,” his brother Joe said.
At age 36, Randy left behind a wife, Raelynn, and Megan,a seven-month-old daughter, his mother, brother Joe, sister-in-law Penny and niece BreeAnna.
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Charles A. Rodgers
Sponsor: Debbie Lovejoy
Banner location: Second Ave – 15 |
Charles was born in 1935 in Niwot, joining the Colorado National Guard at the young age of 14. After graduating from Longmont High School, he joined Public Service Company of Colorado as a lineman. He married his high school sweetheart, Donna Cito, in 1953. They had four children and were married 66 years. Charles spent 38 years in the National Guard, attaining the rank of Colonel. During his lifetime, Charles held many leadership positions: Brigade Commander, IBEW Local 1436 President, Military Officers Association of America, Boulder Elks Lodge and the Colorado Labor Council. He was always willing to serve.
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Steve RollmanSponsor: Pat Murphy
Banner location: Second Ave – 21 |
Served in Germany 1965-1968. Will celebrate 40 years as owner of Niwot Rental and Feed in January 2021.
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Lawrence RussellSponsor: Leigh Suskin
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 4 |
Larry was a Jewish gunner on the Sleepytime Gal. When it became clear that the plane was going down, he took off his dog tags and wrapped them around the steering column in case they crashed in Germany. Instead, all 9 crew members landed safely in an English lake. In 1984, the lake was dredged and the steering column salvaged….with the dog tags still wrapped around it.
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Donald Max Sartori
Sponsor: The (Niwot) Steiner Family
Banner location: Second Ave – 4 |
Don enlisted in the Air Force in 1955 and served as an NSA-trained intelligence analyst and intelligence specialist at several bases inJapan. He received early promotion to sergeant for analysis performed during the Cold War.
In 1965 he was designated a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Officer Training School (OTS) and commissioned a 2nd lieutenant. His assignments included Base Comptroller, Itazuki AB, Japan, Chief of Management and Budget, McConnell AFB, Kansas, and Accounting and Finance Officer, Utapao AB, Thailand, and Misawa AB, Japan. His awards included the USAF Meritorious Service Medal and four Commendation Medals all for distinguished leadership, and Vietnam Service and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medals. He took special pride in leading and being with troops in direct support of air operations. He retired from the Air Force as a major in 1978.
Upon retirement from the Air Force, Don moved his family to Boulder and continued to support his work with the military as an overseas adjunct professor for Boston University in Europe. He also taught at University of Hawaii, Oahu where many of his students were in the military.
After retiring from teaching, Don volunteered for the USO at the Denver International Airport and his church, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Longmont until his passing.
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Donald Schneider
Sponsor: Patty & David Beumer
Banner location:
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Donald B. Schneider of Longmont, died April 7, 2015 at the Peaks Care Center. He was 92. Donald was born on September 26, 1922 in San Diego, California. He spent most of his life in southern California and had a natural affinity with the ocean. While in high school he was recruited by the US Navy and joined the armed forces. Through testing he was able to join the pilot training program. Here he excelled as a pilot and flew a number of fighters as they were developed for the war efforts including Torpedo and Dive Bombers, Hellcats and his personal favorite the Dauntless Dive Bomber. He was trained to be part of the flight team off the air craft carriers. Following his training in Corpus Christi, Texas, he was stationed in Oahu, Hawaii.
Donald married Bonnie O’Reilly on August 7, 1965 in San Diego, California. They moved to Longmont in 2002 from San Diego. Following his military duty, he returned to San Diego and began numerous enterprises. He owned and operated a wholesale bait business, providing bait to area bait and tackle shops. He also started a thriving business at Salton Sea, California, operating a boat rental and bait shop there in the thriving times of the area. He and his wife bought and operated the Balls Ferry Fishing Resort, in Anderson, California. There they owned a number of small cottages and leased spaces for campers and fishermen. In addition, they were fishing guides on the Sacramento River.
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Gismonde A. Silvestrone
Sponsor: Paula Hull
Banner location: Second Ave – 25 |
Gismonde (Gino or Gene) Silvestrone was born in the small town of Cugnoli, Italy on Dec. 2, 1925. At the age of 12 he sailed with his Mom and older brother on the Italian ocean liner SS Rex from Genoa, Italy arriving at the port of New York City on May 13, 1938. That voyage of the SS REX was famously tracked and intercepted by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the United States Army Air Corp on May 12, 1938. After arriving in New York, the family was reunited with Gene’s father in Watertown, Massachusetts. Gene became a naturalized American Citizen and enlisted in the army in August 1944. He served oversees as PFC with Company B, 314 Infantry Regiment, 79th Division. While serving he sustained shrapnel wounds, was treated in a hospital in Belgium and was later awarded the purple heart. After WWII ended, he was transferred to Nuremburg Germany to guard German war prisoners, notably Hermann Goering, during the Nuremburg Trials. He returned home to Massachusetts in June 1946, married Catherine D’Amore in September 1951 and thereafter raised their 6 children. He owned and operated his own Beauty Salon for more than 30 years in Bedford, MA before retiring to Cape Cod and Naples, Florida, where he passed in February 2016. . In retirement, he donated photographs of Nazi concentration camps to the Naples Holocaust museum.
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Kirk Stewart
Sponsor: Kirk Stewart
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 15 |
Kirk received a Presidential Appointment to the United States Air Force Academy and graduated with honors in 1969. He served in Southeast Asia in 1968 planning air-to-air refueling missions with the Strategic Air Command. After commissioning he attended graduate school and was assigned AF Systems Command where he performed advanced technology development of space sensors and nuclear propulsion devices and defined and managed space flight missions for their testing. In 1974, he was transferred to the Secretary of the Air Force Special Programs, now known as the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), to oversee development of classified space programs. His main focus was on electronic intercept and space collection systems. He also managed the production of launch vehicle upper stages for synchronous orbit, and directed the launch of several satellites for the CIA and AF.
Upon leaving the Air Force in 1977, he moved to Niwot and continued work in space mission design, satellite development, and program management on DoD and NASA programs with Ball Aerospace, The Aerospace Corporation, and as an independent consultant to the Navy and small Colorado and California based aerospace firms. He received his Ph.D. from CU/Boulder in 1999.
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John “Jack” Sullivan
Sponsor: Sandy Krakowski (daughter),
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Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, 20-year-old Jack entered the Marine Corps after Pearl Harbor and became a pilot, flying off carriers in the Pacific during WWII. He remained in the Marine Corps for 32 years; his service included a long tour in the Korean Conflict, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for “extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against enemy forces.” His squadron was on high alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he flew transports in and out of Danang during his tour of duty in Viet Nam. He was very proud of serving his country by being a Marine.
Jack married his high school sweetheart, LaDonna, during WWII. Their six children were each born in a different state as the family moved from one duty station to another. He retired in 1974 as a Lt. Col., settling near MCAS El Toro in Southern California, and died in December, 1999.
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Lindsay Copperberg Underwood
Sponsor: The Copperberg Family
Banner location: Cottonwood Square – 20 |
Lindsay was born in 1983 in Albany, NY and moved to Niwot, CO with her family in 1992. After living in Niwot since the 4th grade, and attending Niwot Elementary, Sunset Middle School, and graduating from Niwot High School in 2001, Lindsay attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, on an NROTC scholarship, and graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering.
She was commissioned in the US Navy as an Ensign in December 2005 from CU, earning a spot in Flight School. Lindsay moved between Pensacola, FL and Corpus Christi, TX for flight training, and received her Naval Aviator wings in September 2007. She served at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, CA, where she flew SH-60B Seahawks. She was deployed on board the USS Chancellorsville, a cruiser, and the USS Gridley, a destroyer, and flew SH-60Bs in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from those ships,, in the 5th and 7th Fleet AORs between 2009 and 2011. Lindsay subsequently moved to NAS Patuxent River, MD for US Naval Test Pilot School, where she became a developmental test pilot in support of the MH-60R and MH60S aircraft.
In December 2016, she earned an MSE in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, while continuing to serve as a test pilot. Upon leaving the USNavy as a Lieutenant Commander in 2017, Lindsay continues to serve as a test pilot for the US Government.
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James Whitener
Sponsor: Jill & Bill Whitener
Banner location: Second Ave – 14 |
James Whitener was born September 7, 1925 in Caruthers, California. He was the second of four children. At 18 years old, in 1943, he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and was stationed at Davis-Moffat Air Base in Tucson, Arizona. It was there that he was trained as a navigator on the B-29 Superfortress which was an American bomber. After his training was completed his crew was ranked number one. He was held back from deployment in order to train the returning navigators on the latest navigational systems. The returning navigators were then returned to the war effort. After being discharged in 1946 he enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley in which he graduated in 3 years. After his first year at Berkeley he married his longtime sweetheart Mary Ann Wilber. After graduation he moved a couple of times before ending up in Fontana, CA where he managed a chicken ranch for a number of years. In 1956 he bought a ranch and moved to Hemet, California. At that time he had two sons with a third son on the way. In Hemet, he became very active in the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Masonic Lodge. At 94, he is still very active in the Masonic Lodge and enjoys playing bridge and pinochle. His middle son, Bill, lives in Niwot.
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Alexis Wilde
Sponsor: Laura Graziano
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Alexis Wilde is a Colorado native from Parker, CO. She graduated from Chaparral High School with honors and then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado – Boulder. Alexis enlisted in the Coast Guard in 2014 and was stationed aboard USCGC STRATTON (WMSL-752) in Alameda, CA for two years. She was accepted into Officer Candidate School in 2016 and served on USCGC ACTIVE (WMEC 618) in Port Angeles, WA as a Deck Watch Officer. Both tours afloat focused primarily on the counter-drug mission in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the interdiction of 33,239kgs of cocaine, 13,586lbs of marijuana and the detention of over 275 suspects. In 2018, Alexis returned to Alameda, CA to serve in Pacific Area’s Office of Cutter Forces. She is a recent graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security Emergence Program.
Her awards include the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and the Coast Guard Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbon.
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Franklin C. Wright
Sponsor: Henry Wright
Banner location: Second Ave – 7 |
Franklin C. Wright was born in New York City, New York on February 17th 1933. He spent his early childhood loving sports, deeply involved in playing the piano, listening to music and excelling in school. He graduated early, in what today is called an accelerated, gifted or International Baccalaureate program from George Washington High School in Manhattan. Frank began his collegiate education first at City College of New York and graduated with Associate or Arts degrees in Engineering that continued throughout his Air Force career. He had a strong desire to explore the world. He enlisted and graduated from Officers Candidate School, at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Texas in 1952 where he received his Second Lieutenant bars.
During his 20-year career in the Air Force, he was considered one of the most accomplished bombardier/radar navigators and instructors. He guided strategic and nuclear aircraft such as the B-29, B-36, B-52 and FB-111 during the Korean War, 13-day Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam Conflict. He obtained pilots credentials as needed to conduct Special Operations and engage in Atom Research Command. Lieutenant Colonel Franklin C. Wright retired from the Air Force in 1972 and remained on Reserve.
In his spare time he managed to coach various sports including basketball and golf. At one military installation, he convinced the base commander to support the basketball team and play. Frank was an accomplished athlete, playing basketball while in high school and winning the United States Air Force singles and doubles handball championship multiple times.
Always eager to learn, he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and his Master’s degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he lead, guided and grew the intramural athletic program, taught classes and served on selected committees. Frank retired from the University of Massachusetts following 20-years of service.
Frank was married to a loving wife, devoted partner and chief advocate Vandelyn T. Wright. To their union was born one daughter, Paula and a son Henry Wright, who both reside in Niwot, Colorado. He was a member of Saint James Presbyterian Church in New York City, New York. He was a long time church supporter and involved in many affiliated activities. Thousands have been touched by his kindness, generosity, love of travel and sports and willingness to serve God and Country.
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James Albert Zander
Sponsor: Jane Zander
Banner location: Second Ave – 1 |
Jim was born in Saginaw Michigan in 1915. Previous to joining the Navy, as a pilot, Jim served as a civilian flight instructor for the Army Air Corps. As a Navy pilot during WWII, he was stationed in Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, and Hawaii. Jim flew various aircraft, but spent most of his time in C-47s, F6F Hellcats, and Corsairs. He transported troops and supplies to and from the war and was on Kwajalein and Guam in the South Pacific.
After the war, Jim flew as a corporate pilot for Dow Chemical and Dowell, Div. of Dow for many years.
Jim resided in Niwot for 24 years, on Murray St.