A Celebration of Veteran's from my Present and Past

A few years ago, Mr. Mike Schultz, a fifth grade teacher, wanted to create a "Remembrance Wall' that celebrated relatives within the school's community who has in the past or is currently serving in any branch of the military.

Mr. Schultz served in the United States Navy Reserves from 1993 to 2003, completing two weeks of training each year at Navy bases in California, Thailand, and London, England. In addition, his daughter Sarah is an MP in the United States Army.

While stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, Sarah is currently completing her second deployment to Afghanistan. His son Patrick serves in the United States Navy as a Cytological Technician and recently transferred to Fort Gordon, Georgia. During his time at Ft. Gordon, Patrick will be deployed occasionally to work aboard submarines.

Continuing his vision of honoring and remembering those who have served our country, Mr. Schultz began organizing and serving as Master of Ceremonies at the school's Annual Veteran's Day Assembly.

Fathers, mothers, sons and grandfathers gathered and were honored at the ceremony this past Monday. As I attended this year's 2nd annual event, it occurred to me in my short-sightedness that my personal knowledge of Veterans, past or present, was very limited.

My dad Roger voluntarily enlisted as a United States Marine Corps reservist from September 1958 to September 1964. He was prepared to be sent to active duty, but never was despite the Vietnam War and the Bay of Pigs Invasion in Cuba overlapping his reserve duty. While my dad will certainly talk about his life as a Marine, he always seems to make a distinction between active and reservist duty, never really wanting to be referred to as a Veteran. And yet that is exactly what he is.

However, my dad's Olsen family history has a long legacy of active military men. My grandfather Edward was one of 11 children, ten sons and one daughter. Of these 10 sons, 6 of them served during World War 2. With a 24 year span of the 11 births, two of the sons were too old to serve (including my grandpa Edward), one was too young at the time, and one was physically handicapped.
They appeared in a July 1944 article in the Round Lake Beach town in which they lived, being given accolades for their dedication in serving our country. Olaf, Sr., born 1908, served in the United States Navy; George, born 1909, and Harold, born 1911, served in the United States Army Air Corps.; Iver, born 1913, was in the Quartermaster Division of the United States Army; Art, born 1917, served in the Merchant Marines (Art's son Brian also served in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1969); and finally, Everett "Boze", born 1922, served as a United States Marine.

My great-grandma Jennie, proud mother of the six sons serving in the military, had a flag bearing six stars outside her home in recognition and honor of the great sacrifice her family was making for our country. All six men returned home safely from war.
Each of these 10 brothers (and one sister) has passed away; the youngest son known as "Hap" dying most recently in February 2008. I did not have a personal relationship with any of my great uncles or Great Aunt Hazel.

Still, it is an honor to be related to them and to know that many of my great uncles served and sacrificed to help make our country the wonderful place it is today. This legacy continues through all the servicemen and women who are still actively serving today to preserve our freedom, making a personal family sacrifice and, sadly, sometimes sacrificing their own lives in the line of duty.
On this Veteran's Day, please take time to acknowledge our military men and women, past and present. Thank them for what they have done for us. But most of all, remember them.
As quoted by Dan Lipinski "On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred  obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free."

Tribute on the Death of Bil Keane

Bil Keane, creator of The Family Circus cartoon, died at age 89 of heart failure in early November. His wife Thel died in May of 2008, after celebrating 60 years of marriage. Today they are once again reunited, but leaving behind their five children, who were the inspiration behind the characters Billy, Dolly, Jeffy and PJ.

It is today that I mourn the loss of not only an inspirational cartoonist, who lived out his life as ethically as he drew it, but I mourn the loss of a friend. My relationship with Mr. Keane began in 1979, writing a fan letter to him at the tender age of 12. He wrote me back, to which I sent another letter.

After that second letter, his wife wrote me a personal note and enclosed with it two personal limited edition copies of books that were out of print. He personalized the inside of each book to me. As a young girl, this was beyond my wildest dreams that a man I admired so greatly would take the time to acknowledge his biggest fan.

The relationship did not stop there. We stayed in yearly contact. At Christmas, instead of a traditional Christmas letter, he would send out a Christmas calendar, personally penned to me. His only daughter Gayle, the inspiration of "Dolly", also personally contacted me about the various memorabilia that was available for sale.

Over several years I collected mugs, figurines, ornaments, posters, plaques, plates. And, of course, every book. She personally held a stock of whatever had been created in storage for me to make sure it was available to me as I could afford to buy them.

In 1987, over Spring Break, my mom and I flew out to Arizona to meet the Keane's to celebrate an early 21st birthday. Gayle and my mom had conspired with Mr. Keane to arrange it.  He picked us up at our hotel and drove us back to his home and his studio in Paradise Valley, Arizona. He pointed out that Erma Bombeck lived just down the street but was not in town at the time. Otherwise, he would have introduced us.

After spending the day with me he wondered who actually had more knowledge of the strip--me or his son Jeff, who would later become his partner. He did not want a 'fan club' but said that if he ever changed his mind, I would be the President. He considered me his #1 fan.

After treating us to lunch at his favorite cafe, we parted for a few hours before inviting us to come to the Ice Capades with him that evening, where he was receiving a "Good Skate Award" by Olympic athletes Kitty and Peter Carruthers. My favorite part of that evening was that he asked me to hold his award while he signed autographs.

Thel snapped many pictures of me and Bil during his autograph signing. We snuck out shortly after the awards ceremony as not to be mobbed at the end of the show. I felt a little like a celebrity myself. As a final birthday present, he told me to pick out my favorite cartoon and he would send me the hand-drawn original. To this day, it is proudly framed in my family room.

As a wedding present, he sent us a personalized cartoon congratulating us as a married couple, and welcomed the birth of our son Adam with another personalized cartoon.  In 2001, I arranged to come out to Arizona again, but this time with my husband and son. Thel delighted in Adam. I delighted in the joy of being in the Keane's presence again. It was a 'once in a lifetime' experience that I enjoyed twice.

His generosity was endless. He was a Godly man, who lived out what he drew. And his wife Thel was as delightful as the man himself. She was witty and intelligent. The quiet strength behind his success, I like to think. My favorite moment of that trip was following Mrs. Keane into the kitchen to serve dishes of Breyer's Butter Pecan ice cream for the 5 of us. She asked me to get the bowls and napkins, while she served us. An ordinary moment made extraordinary. They were like family.

My husband and I had hoped to make one more trip out to see him after the birth of our daughter in 2004. But I knew he was in his 80s and I was not sure that it would be appropriate to invite ourselves over again. Communication waned a bit over the last decade. I spoke to both Gayle and Jeff on the phone after learning that their mom had passed away. Gayle shared with me then that their dad's health was declining as well.

Bil Keane lived a rich and wonderful life. He had all the same joys and sorrows, love and heartache as the rest of the world. But despite his 'celebrity' status, he was not one to seek out publicity. He was just a "Daddy', who loved "Mommy", "Billy", "Dolly", "Jeffy" and "PJ". And we loved him.

I have memories that would fill a book but instead it fills my heart. Remembering a great man, who raised a wonderful family. Thank you, Bil Keane, for enriching my life and leaving behind such a great family legacy. I will miss you more than I can put in words. Bless you, Bil Keane. Bless you.