“One of the greatest honors I have as Missouri’s Lieutenant Governor is recognizing and honoring the service our veterans provide their families, friends and neighbors in our great state,” Kinder said. “This year we had an exceptional group of nominations, and I look forward to meeting these hometown heroes and getting to know them a bit better. It truly is an honor to be able to shine the spotlight on their stories of sacrifice and service to their communities. Not only did these veterans answer the call to serve their country, but all our nominees continue to inspire others back home with their volunteerism.”
The winners and their nominators are:
Eastern Missouri
Wilma Abernathy of St. Louis
(Missouri Rep. Clem Smith)
Richard Bauer of St. Louis
(Missouri Rep. Cloria Brown)
Harrison Ochs of St. Louis
(Bob Robinson of Leslie)
Dennis Sweet of Park Hills
(Lorrett Hagan of VFW Auxiliary Post 2426 in Desloge)
Terry Martin of Elsberry
(Missouri Rep. Randy Pietzman and Dan Tapley of the VFW Auxiliary)
Paul Brotherton of Kahoka
(Henry Dienst of Kahoka)
Roger Wheeler of Kennett
(City of Kennett)
Dr. Farrah McSpadden of Poplar Bluff
(Missouri Sen. Doug Libla)
Ruth Ann Skaggs of Fredericktown
(Julianne Kline of Farmington)
Central Missouri
Thomas Mahon of Jefferson City
(Cole County Senior Nutritional Program)
Don Hentges of California
(Vic Lovell of Centertown)
Michael Waggett of Lake Ozark
(Keith Lucas of Lake Ozark)
Melody Slusher of Cuba
(Missouri Rep. Jason Chipman)
Tom Rinehart of St. James
(St. James Golden Age Center)
Jerry Thomas of La Plata
(Mayor Lois Bragg of La Plata)
Roger Jaeger of Ashland
(Missouri Rep. Charles Basye)
Robert Garrett of Sullivan
(Missouri Rep. Dave Hinson and Jason Richardson of VFW Post 3987)
Everett Kelly of Buffalo
(Dallas County Sheriff’s Office
Richard Lewis of Bolivar
(Gary Christopher of the Bolivar Memorial Chapter #66 DAV)
Russell Olewinski of Elk Creek
(Bennie Cook of the Texas County Food Pantry)
Western Missouri
James Compton of Mount Vernon
(Lawrence County Historical Society)
Steve Vanderhoof of Springfield
(Ozark Empire Chapter, Military Officers Association of America)
Ellen Duvall of Springfield
(Cox Health of Springfield)
Donald Arndt of Adrain
(Missouri Rep. Patricia Pike)
Robert Eckerle of Kansas City
(Tara Arteaga of VFW Post 7356)
Shawn Lee of Kansas City
(Missouri Rep. Travis Fitzwater)
Ora Reyes of Kansas City
(Christy Watson of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care)
Charles Petty of Oak Grove
(Ronda Marshall of Oak Grove)
Ed “Doc” Golden of Blue Springs
(Missouri Rep. Jeanie Lauer)
Jerry Zevecke of Sugar Creek
(Connie Dickinson, City of Sugar Creek)
Thomas Tanner of Independence
(Phillip Greco, commander, America Legion Post 21)
Marlin Slagle of Maryville
(Rolla Dicks American Legion Auxiliary Unit 315 in Burlington Junction)
James Rippy of Richmond
(Missouri Rep. Joe Don McGaugh and Shane Seeds LLC)
R.E. Holtz of Rayville
(Excelsior Springs VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic)
Leonard Crowl of Odessa
(Odessa Senior Center)
