Oklee Memorial Day Program

On Monday, May 30th,  Oklee's American Legion and Auxiliary from Post 159 held a Memorial Day program at Red Lake County Central High School Gymnasium.

American Legion  Post 159 Commander Dean Walstad  welcomed everyone and the Color Guard advance the colors.

Caplain Don Stenberg gave the invocation before the audience was asked to join in  singing "My Country Tis of Thee" with pianist Barb Melby accompanying. 

Walstad introduced Annalee Woodstrom, the Memorial Day speaker.

Annelee was born in Germany in 1926 where she grew up under the regime of Adolf Hitler during World War II. During her childhood & adolescence, constant propaganda and strictly enforced censorship in Hitler's Germany influenced Annelee's thinking. The bombings and all the suffering caused by World War II affected her deeply.  

Annelee was twenty years old when she immigrated to America in 1947 to marry Kenny Woodstrom, an American soldier she had met after the war. Annelee did not speak English and her husband did not speak German, giving this relationship many challenges  and always carrying a German /English dictionary. She was catholic and he was Lutheran. They had two children, Roy and Sandra. She worked as a sales clerk, advanced to secretarial work, and finally, in 1967, she was able to fulfill her life's dream.

Annelee attended university and became a teacher. She taught Junior and Senior high school English, German, civics, and psychology. She has also written two books autobiographies of her life, War Child:  Growing Up in Adolf Hitler's Germany and Empty Chairs.

Annalee spoke on Monday about the war years she experienced and they were horrific. She prayed the U.S. would be their occupiers instead of the Russians. And it was after the war that she met her future husband, Kenny Woodstrom. And became the first war bride in 1947 from Germany.

She spoke of her teen years where she lived under a dictatorship and wars. At a young age she learned about hunger and poverty, about the powerlessness to change things. And the importance of not forgetting the soldiers who have and are still serving our country and keeping us safe.  

Kenny served in Company C - 352 Infantry, and 90th Division. In 1943 he was assigned to prepare the equipment to be shipped overseas by waterproofing everything, and the chemicals used ruined his lungs. He served from 1942 to  1945. 

Kenny's original Company had already received 1000 replacements over the years, and he was 1 of the 5 original members. 

She said that Memorial Day is a day to honor the people who served, sacrificied their lives for our freedom. We need to teach our children what Memorial Day stands for. Freedom is here because of these men and women who served our country. Without their sacrifices, we could have an entirely different life, without liberty and freedom. 

The courage and beliefs of these soldiers have kept our freedom alive. And today as you walk through the cemeteries think of the soldiers and say thank you. And remember, we will also have a responsibility to keep our liberty and freedom.

After Annalee's speech, Natalie Aakhus sung the "Battly Hymn of the Republic."

Mrs. Annalee Woodstrom came to the podium again, right before the Auxiliary Roll Call with a suggestion on teaching our children about Memorial Day and to participate in the day of honor instead of thinking of the day as a day to go to the lake or another none Memorial event,  would be to have graduation after Memorial Day and have it as a requirement of gradution.

The Honorary Roll Call was read of the WWI, WWII. Korean, Vietnam, Cold War, Persian Gulf  War and Auxiliary members who have served and died by Elmer Hanson, Don Stenberg, Dean Walstad and Mary Lynn Bachand.

Taps was played by Seth Johnson.

Colors were retired. Coffee and bars were served by the American Legion Auxiliary.