Berlin area veterans honored by Holy Trinity Church in Berlin

Sandra Lepley
·2 min read

Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Berlin held a special service on Nov. 13 to recognize past and present living congregation veterans, dedicate two plaques with their names and present the attending veterans with red, white and blue knotted covers.

Several area veterans were recognized during a special service at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Berlin on Nov. 13. From left, front row: Gerald Zorn, Joe Zorn, Marian Miller Dyer, Dale Leslie, Art Seitz, Charles Maust and Ed Zorn. Second row: Larry Shober, Dave Marker, Allen Brocht, Richie Engleka, Ray Engleka, Stu Kreinbrook, Homer Kreinbrook. Back row: Nathan Richards, William Chonko, Dave Countryman, Robert Spochart, Tim Clites, Jim Broderick, Mike Brant, Mike Titus, Charles Custer and the Rev. Bob Keplinger.

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"Our sincere appreciation goes out to the veterans and their families for the sacrifices they have made in service to our country," said the Rev. Bob Keplinger, pastor of the church.

Holy Trinity sent out more than 200 invitations to veterans from their own church and also the congregations of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Fairhope and Mount Zion in Bakersville.

Four Berlin area veterans attending the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church ceremony on Nov. 13 were over the age of 90. They are (from left): Marian Miller Dyer, 96, World War II; Dale Leslie, 94, Korea; Charles Maust, 91, Korea; and Ed Zorn, 95, World War II.
Four Berlin area veterans attending the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church ceremony on Nov. 13 were over the age of 90. They are (from left): Marian Miller Dyer, 96, World War II; Dale Leslie, 94, Korea; Charles Maust, 91, Korea; and Ed Zorn, 95, World War II.

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According to Nita Richards, church secretary, there were only nine places left on an original plaque hanging in the church and there were more than nine veteran names who needed to be added in order to update the plaque.

So the decision was made to make two new plaques with 154 names in total including the names on the original plaque.

The two new plaques were displayed during the ceremony and are now hanging in the church. There were more than 42 covers presented to all attending veterans and also to people who were willing to deliver the covers to those unable to attend.

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They were created by the town's Knotty Knotters group who works regularly at the church for missions projects. This was their Red, White and Blue mission project.

The Knotty Knotters, along with the Jolly Quilters, work every Tuesday morning at the church and consist of several local townspeople. In all, there were 252 people in attendance and almost $1,000 was collected to be donated to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Since 9/11, Tunnels to Towers has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, according to their website at t2t.org.

The living veterans recognized were: David Austin, Barry Barkley, David Berkey, Ronald Bingner, John Boozer Jr., Michael Brant, James Broderick, LaDeana Burkholder, Gregory Chalk, David Chonko, Timothy Chonko, William Chonko, Timothy CLites, Alan Coughenour, David Countryman, James Croner, John Croner, Charles Custer, John Deeter, Jerry Dickey, Deborah Dilbon, Marian Dyer, Ray Engleka, Richie Engleka, Ryan Ferre, Donald Gardner, Jason Gerber, Justin Gerber, Thomas Gerber, Donald Gindlesperger, Robert Gindlesperger (who died on Nov. 5), Harold Hauger, Lynn Hauger, Robert Keplinger, Homer Kreinbrook, Stuart Kreinbrook, Dale Leslie, John Little, David Marker, Charles Maust, Chris Maust, Matthew Maust, Ryan Maust, Benjamin Meese, David Merriman, Donald Noakes, John Pribelsky, Nathan Richards, William Riley, John Roberts, Samuel Sayler, Daniel Saylor, Larry Schrock, Oran Shaulis, William Shipley, Larry Shober, Robert Spochart, Ronald Walker, James Webb, Timothy Woida, Gerald Zorn, Edward Zorn and Joe Zorn.

Afterward, the Holy Trinity Youth Group held a spaghetti dinner prepared for all those attending. The entire service can be viewed on Facebook at Holy Trinity Lutheran Berlin.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Berlin area veterans honored by Holy Trinity Church in Berlin