By Curt Hendel
Veteran Writer
Last year when Korean War Veteran Sylvester Lonneman passed away, his children found that he had enrolled in a serviceman’s life insurance policy. Like most of the similar programs, it was not a large amount, but the siblings decided to donate the money to Argonne Post 32 as a tribute to their father.
After contacting the Post, it was decided that a glass display case would fit the building very nicely. Steve Heitkamp was contacted about a design that would fit the budget. Steve was chosen not only for his expertise, but also because his extended family is a regular renter of the building and they are avid supporters of Post 32.
In mid July, after months of developing the idea, the display case was placed into its new home in the southeast corner of the facility. Members of Sylvester’s family came to see this beautiful case and were very happy with the end result. The final touch was a small plaque memorializing the life of their father Sy.
The Lonneman family’s generosity did not stop there though. Sylvester’s uniform and medals, a service photo, and the certificate for the Bronze Star that he earned for valor on the battlefield are prominently displayed in the case.
The members of Argonne Post 32 are extremely appreciative of this gift. The cabinet nicely matches the rest of the woodwork and looks like it was designed to be there from the beginning. Other hero’s artifacts will be added to the case as they are donated.
Thank you to the Lonneman Family from Argonne Post 32!
