By Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
LEEDS, Ala.–In honor of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, seven Leeds veterans were presented with Quilts of Valor on Friday night at a meeting of the Leeds Arts Council.
The presentations were conducted by Kate Starcher, the North-Central Alabama Director of Quilts of Valor, along with organizers Lyn O’Leary, Marilyn Milstead, and Phyllis Menger.
The quilts were made by members of the local quilt guilds including the Birmingham Quilters Guild, the Heartland Quilt Guild in Cullman, the West Alabama Quilters Guild in Tuscaloosa and the Evening Star Quilt Guild in Shelby County, as well as individual Quilts of Valor member and Leeds resident, Della Darby.
Those who were presented a quilt included Steve Karr, Kenneth McClure, John Patrick O’Leary, Roger Sheppard, Gary Suckow, Jonathan Wilson, and David Miller.
Steve Karr served from 1972 to 1978 at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and received the second highest marksman score in his company. He also served with the 167th Infantry National Guard unit headquartered in Cullman in the Leeds Company.
“It is indeed an honor and I am very blessed,” he said while receiving the quilt. “It’s a beautiful quilt! Thank you very much.”
Kenneth McClure served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1974 with the Skivvy Nine Intelligence Squadron sending messages with Morse code. After marrying his wife Roseanne he was stationed in Korea and served during the Vietnam War.
John Patrick O’Leary was in the Army Security Agency from 1969-1989, stationed for a number of years in Europe as state-side training commands. He received the Meritorious Service Medal, several Army commendation medals, the Army of Occupation Medal and others. He joined the volunteer part of the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, after retiring from the army. There, he held multiple roles in local and national leadership during his 21 years. At the event, he was presented with a quilt made by his wife.
Roger Sheppard served from 1981 to 2008 and was involved in the Persian Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During that time he was stationed in Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, South America, as well as several states in the US as part of the United States Cavalry.
Gary Suckow is a veteran of the U.S. Army from 1974 to 2002 serving in the First Cavalry Division at Fort Hood in Texas, as well as the 24th Infantry at Fort Stewart, GA, the 9th Infantry at Fort Ord, CA, two tours in Germany, the Redstone Arsenal, First Infantry at Fort Riley, Second Infantry in Korea and the Sergeant Majors Academy in Texas. During his career he received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, and other awards.
Jonathan Wilson served in the United States Air Force from 1968 to 1973. He served on a remote tour in Greenland. During his career, he was also an air traffic controller officer and was stationed in California, Texas, Mississippi, and Michigan.
David Miller, who serves as the mayor of Leeds, is a veteran of the Vietnam War. Miller served in the Surface Navy and commanded a 25-boat river assault division with the River Assault Force in the Mekong Delta. During his career he earned numerous awards, including the Bronze Star with Combat Valor Device, the Cross of Gallantry with two Silver Stars, the Combat Action Award, and the Presidential Unit Citation. He served 22 years in the Navy before returning to Leeds.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.
