Synergy Client Spotlight Mark Campbell
Free Take One!
Presented by:
Last ofthe Greatest Hermon Netherland
Stanley Simon
This has been a wonderful year for all of us at the Senior Resource Guide and SETXSeniors.com. Thank you to all of the veterans and seniors who shared your stories with us. Thank you to Synergy HomeCare of Southeast Texas and all of our sponsors who make it possible to cover events and activities of interest to our East Texas and Golden Triangle senior citizens. Do you know a veteran or interesting senior who would like to share their story? Call or e-mail to set up an interview: (512) 567-8068 or SETXSeniors@gmail.com. Would you like help marketing your organization, service, or event to local seniors 55+? SETXAdvertising@ gmail.com. Are you looking for more news, resources, and information for seniors? Visit SETXSeniors.com for several new articles each week.
Daryl Fant
Publisher. SETX Senior Resource Guide (512) 567-8068
SETXSeniors.com SETXSeniorExpo.com SETXChurchGuide.com 2
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F HERMON NETHERLAND E A T U R roadtripping E Nashville Tennesse S Last of the Greatest
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MARK CAMPBELL& NINA DISOMBA Page 11
S P O T L I G H T
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Senior Ministry
Last of the Greatest Stanley Simon WWII Veteran Page 24
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Last of the Greatest
Hermon Netherland Navy
Like many kids of his generation, Hermon worked from a young age. His family had a large garden and Hermon was responsible for hoeing, watering, and picking vegetables. His mom would can the vegetables, and they lasted the family throughout the year. His father grew just about everything including bell peppers, green beans, cantaloupe, and tomatoes. His father was no stranger to gardening, having share cropped as a young man. When Hermon was 15 years old, a friend joined the Navy. He immediHermon Netherland lives in a cozy ately signed up as well. A neighbor cabin on Lake Amanda in Colmestold his father that he’d signed up, neil. and he went down to the recruiter’s He is surrounded by mementoes office and tore up the enlistment paof a long life well lived. pers. Fifteen was just too young for Hermon was born on April 21st, his son to go to war. 1926. Today he is 93 years old. That Hermon spent a year wearing his is very young for a WWII veteran. father down and at sixteen his father Hermon was born in Enterprise signed off on his enlistment. It was Louisiana near the railroad track. 1942 and the world was at war. HerAt a young age, the family moved mon would experience a great deal to Port Arthur where he was raised. of it first-hand. 4
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Hermon went to basic training in San Diego. He was then transferred to Chicago for signal school. He hated the unfamiliar cold weather and found it difficult to succeed. A signal school instructor told him, “Pick up your grades or you’ll be sorry you heard of this place.” Frustrated by the endless snow and ice, Hermon responded, “I’m already sorry I’ve heard of this place.” Fortunately, he saw a billboard on base for underwater demolition
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training at Fort Pierce in Florida. He was successful in getting moved. Back in warm weather, Hermon had no problem focusing and excelling. He was qualified both as a Navy signal man and frog man. After a long deployment in Newport Rhode Island, Hermon Netherland would participate in almost every major campaign of the war in the Pacific. Throughout the war, he would be based on the USS Birgit, a troop
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transport and cargo ship. His duties would rotate between signalman ,frog man (underwater demolitions), and manning a landing craft taking troops to shore on several of the most dangerous invasion campaigns of the war. The ship took care of him dodging fighter planes, underwater mines, and surviving two typhoons. Hermon Netherland was there for the invasion of Guam, Sai Pan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the Philippines, and the Marshall Islands.
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He saw a Japanese submarine get depth charged, was wounded multiple times, and took lots of photos of what the war was like behind the scenes. He has tranquil images of villagers by their huts in the Philippines and mounds of dead Japanese soldiers at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. On Saipan, Hermon’s duties varied between sending signals from the USS Birgit and taking turns on landing craft assisting in landing Marines for the invasion. The memory that stands out the most is the Navy pilots. Each morning he watched 100 planes take off to battle the Japanese ships and fighter pilots. Each evening, he’d count about fifty that returned. Hermon was manning a landing ship during the Iwo Jima invasion and was hit by a mortar. Two Marines were knocked out of the boat
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and had to be fished out of the water with a boat hook. Their on-ship physician was “Dr. Bones”. The 300-pound doctor removed seven pieces of shrapnel out of Hermon’s back. Other pieces remained in him, providing a nagging pain through the rest of the war. On Okinawa, Hermon manned landing craft helping to get troops from the ship to the base. They got in a heavy battle with the Japanese. They were super close together and Hermon could see the soldier who shot him. Back on the ship, Dr. Bones brought him back to health again. Hermon didn’t think getting shot was too bad compared to the
mortar shrapnel. In the Philippines, Hermon and other Navy frog men were tasked with helping to open the Straits of Hormuz. The Japanese had left behind lots of underwater mines. Hermon and the rest of the underwater demolition team had to actually go down and either bring up the mines or destroy them underwater. Throughout the war, Hermon remembers that his parents never knew where he really was. Censors carefully read all outgoing mail so that no one could accidentally, or intentionally, compromise the location of the invasion fleet. Secrecy was of paramount importance in the Pacific
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theater during WWII. Hermon doesn’t recall his shipmates getting any R&R for the entire war. He remembers it being non-stop moving from invasion to invasion and helping land troops for each stage of the War in the Pacific. His ship made it through the war better than most. Hermon gave a great deal of credit for that to the “great gunner’s mates” on the 3-inch cannon, 20mm, and .50 machine guns. The ship never took a major hit despite being close to Japanese submarines, fighter planes, dive bombers, kamikazes, and shore batteries. These were epic naval battles that sunk air craft carriers, cruisers, battleships, and destroyers. The humble USS Birgit, troop transport and supply ship, made it through the war. He gave additional credit to the ship having “twin screws”. The two propellers made the ship faster than most and allowed it to out maneuver many attackers. The USS Birgit returned after the war via the Panama Canal. Conveniently, the final port was Orange TX where the ship was decommissioned and sold. Essentially, the ship he’d spent the war on moving across the entire Pacific Ocean returned Hermon almost to his front door! Hermon was still carrying some mortar shrapnel after the war. For 30 days, he called the VA hospital in Alexandria to get it taken out. He 8
was told day after day that there was no room for him. He then went in person to the hospital. The doctors tried to turn him away again. Hermon said that he would camp out front in a tent with a camp stove and lantern until they took the shrapnel out. He let them know he’d have no problem telling anyone who asked what he was doing that the hospital wasn’t taking care of returning veterans. Doctors had Hermon in surgery at 5pm the same day. They had told him all the beds were full, but he woke up after surgery in a huge room with dozens of empty beds. Only one was occupied. The other patient kept to himself occasionally making loud train whistling noises. A nurse told him that the man had worked for the railroad and now thought he was a train. The open beds were in the psych ward! Shortly after returning to Port Arthur, Hermon went to an old warehouse that had been furnished with pool tables and that served drinks. He wore his uniform, as he didn’t yet have any civilian clothes. He met a young lady named Velma. They hit it off and he announced, “When you get out of high school, we’ll get married.” They had a long life together and a wonderful baby girl. They had a comfortable home in Mid-county and a fishing cabin on Lake Amanda. Netherland page 29
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Client & Caregiver Spotlight
Mark Campbell & Nina Disomba
We enjoy taking the time to get to know our local seniors. Recently, Synergy HomeCare invited us to visit with Mark Campbell in Port Arthur. Many Mid County residents will recognize Mark Campbell from his long tenure working at Taco Rey. To advertise call (512)567-8068
Mark was born in Groves and has fond memories of walking from his family home to Nick’s Grocery for the best boudin in Texas. He still enjoys walking to the store regularly. Mark underwent severe hearing loss at a young age due to an irreversible Tinnitus. www.SETXSeniors.com 11
Despite his hearing issues, Mark is a life-long fan of bluegrass and
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country music. Mark Campbell introduced me to a legendary Southeast Texan I wasn’t familiar with. Many of you who grew up here will probably remember Gordon Baxter. He worked for a number of radio stations in Southeast Texas. He was known for inspired musical choices, often bringing records from his private collection to play on the air. He was also known as a humorist, sharing his experiences in the Merchant Marine during WWII, Army Air Corps during WWII, his obsession with flying as a “pasture pilot”, and living in a home he built along Village Creek. He is famous in radio circles for protesting a programming change by locking himself in the studio and playing Willie Nelson’s “Red Headed Stranger” for over 24 hours.
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Gordon Baxter was also an author. Mark’s favorite of his books is, “Village Creek”. He is also a huge wrestling fan. Mark has particularly enjoyed the opportunity to attend four live wrestling events at Ford Arena. His favorite current wrestler is John Cena whose catch phrase is, “You can’t see me!” He also enjoyed watching Stone Cold Steve Austin wrestle. Another wrestler Mark appreciates is Seth Rollins. Mark’s favorite meal are fried chicken and Salisbury steak. When he has a craving for fast food, he often chooses Burger King. We really enjoyed the opportunity to meet Mark Campbell and learn more about his life. Mark Campbell speaks highly of his Synergy caregiver, Nina Disomba. Nina has been recognized by Synergy HomeCare for providing a high level of service to our local senior citizens. She actually worked as a caregiver for Mark’s father Carl
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Campbell before working for Mark. She provides a number of services for Mark, but he was most appreciative of her companionship. Nina regularly takes Mark out to eat at some of his favorite restaurants. They enjoy going to Luby’s, Burger King, and Tia Juanita’s together. They also enjoy driving through old Port Arthur and talking about all of the changes. Nina has been named Caregiver of
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the Month by Synergy HomeCare of Southeast Texas twice. She has met most of Mark Campbell’s family and accompanied him as far away as Center, TX so he could attend a family event. Are you looking for quality care and companionship for a Southeast Texas senior or disabled veteran? Contact Synergy HomeCare today: (409) 861-2000. Services provided include: • Companionship – including overnight stays • Medication reminders • Medical transport • Meal prep – including heart • Grocery shopping and errands. healthy or diabetic meals Schedule your complimentary in• Light housekeeping home consultation today. • Bathing and dressing
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Non-medical In-home Assistance Serving: Seniors Veterans New Moms
• • • • • • • •
Personal Care
communications)
Incontinence Care Grooming • Dressing • Feeding assistance Walking and Transferring (ex: moving from bed to wheelchair) Communicating regularly with your larger healthcare team (through our caregiver & client care team
Companion/Homemaking Activities and Social Engagement Grocery List Planning Errands (Dr. Appointments) Social Outings: walking the dog, going to the senior center, accompanying to a family picnic Medication Reminders Meal Preparation Light Housekeeping Transportation Extended Care Overnight Care and Reassurance: No Contracts or Required Hours Customized arrangements available for 24-hour care and peace of mind.
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Synergy HomeCare offers incontinence care. (409) 861-2000
T C T S
Synergy is available to assist your loved ones with: • • • • • • • •
Backup Childcare Pre- and Post-Delivery Pregnancy Care Complex illness Support (ex: Multiple Sclerosis) Orthopedic/Surgery Recovery Movement Disorders or Weakness (ex: Parkinson’s, post-CVA/stroke) Dementia Care (ex: Alzheimer’s, post-CVA/stroke) Respite Care (giving healing time for family caregiver(s)) End of life care (supporting hospice and palliative care philosophies and care teams)
What is the mission of Synergy Homecare? To help you or a loved one stay comfortable in their own homes. Contact Synergy Homecare of Southeast Texas today: Talk with Community Liaison Ryan Straface about how Synergy can assist you:
Office: 409-861-2000 • Cell: (409) 656-6440 RyanStraface@ShcSetx.com
Owner Stephanie Allen and her team look forward to serving your family. To advertise call (512)567-8068
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ROADTRIPPING
Nashville Tennesse live music. This could be a great spot to start your Nashville experience. You can also walk up and down the street and get a feel for each spot. You’ll be able to hear the featured band from many of them. If you’re looking for a more laidback dining experience, one of our favorites was Monell’s. Nashville holds an iconic place The restaurant is in a quiet area in the hearts of many East Texas of downtown well away from the action and noise of music row. and Golden Triangle seniors. For most of us, Nashville is all The food is served family style. about the music. We grew up on On our visit this included salad, corn bread, biscuits, beets, fried Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Any first trip to Nashville chicken, strawberry shortcake, should include a visit to Music and probably a dozen other opRow. When we were there, Blake tions. The food was great, but Shelton’s Ole’ Red Restaurant the highlight was the company. was the hot spot of the moment. We were randomly seated next to Unlike a lot of theme restaurants, a couple from Kansas City. They Ole Red has earned rave review were retired now, but the man had for the quality of both food and worked as a ticket hustler buy18 Need help with errands? Synergy HomeCare (409) 861-2000
t d r r
e e . a e . . , d , t . o y d -ot
Papa’s Farm Soak up the quiet and rural atmosphere of country living at Grandma & Grandpa’s house. This large estate will be a great location for a large family or for a vacation with extended family members. It is centrally located for access to attractions in Southeast Texas. Enjoy the comforts of home with plenty of space outdoors to romp and play or park your outdoor sports equipment. Papa’s Farm is a 9 acre open field with a brick home. Enjoy any of the seasonal fruits on the property: fig, blackberry, satsumas, pecans, or garden produce.
The property hosts a beautiful view of the stars and Milky Way against the velvet night sky. Guests are welcome to enjoy an evening fire outside, roast hot dogs or marshmallows. Local fishing, boating, trails, & hunting is the way of life in the deep South. Find hidden gems in the Pineywoods. Located in Spurger, TX. Rent on AirBnB only $125 per night - min. 2 night stay Sleeps 8 3 bedrooms/ 5 beds 2 bath
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ing and selling tickets to sporting events in his home town and across the country. The internet has largely phased that profession out, but he’d been able to provide a great quality of life for his family. He entertained us with stories of going to the ballpark almost every day as a kid and all of the athletes he’d met over the years. Nashville is in “Krispy Kreme” country. Many of the local Krispy Kreme’s made donuts for their customers and also for local gas stations and truck stops. These are a great place to get a fresh donut while it’s still hot. For many, the Grand Ole Opry will be a “must see”. The iconic venue offers a full slate of iconic artists, up and coming singer 20
songwriters, comedy acts, and even theatrical shows. Check their schedule before you set your dates if you want to see an artist that has a special meaning to you. For an alternate experience, head outside the city to Arrington Vineyards. This is Kix Brook’s vineyard and live music venue. There are lots of picnic tables outside and limited indoor seating in the barn. Local gather with friends and family to enjoy a cool setting, wine, and music. When we went, we picked up barbecue from a place local recommended and ate it at one of the picnic tables and enjoyed talking while the sun set. After we ate some great Memphis pulled pork and ribs, we picked up a bottle of
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wine from the vineyard’s wine bar and took it up to the barn’s loft and listened to a great blue grass band. Before you leave, check out the World War II Memorial in the Bicentennial Memorial Park. We’ve been to a lot of veteran memorials, and this is one of my favorites. It has a separate marker for each of Tennessee’s Medal of Honor Recipients and attractive detailed information about the war and the role played by Tennessee natives. Other parts of the
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park have very interesting trivia about Tennessee and its history. The park leads all the way up to the capitol building which has a great view of the city. Another cool local attraction is a life-size replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park. It was pretty mind blowing to see it in the middle of a beautiful Nashville park. Nashville has a lot to offer. We hope our experiences give you a head start in planning your trip.
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SENIOR MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT CRESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH Fellowship Meals: Wednesdays Life moves pretty fast when we are young. We work hard and try to from 5:30 to 6:00 followed by Bibe the best possible parents we can. ble Study. For many of us, life slows down a little after our children move out and we retire. If you’re looking for some places to plug in, Crestwood has some great opportunities for seniors in Hardin County. Their senior ministry group, The Fun Bunch, meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 9am – noon. They enjoy a range of activities that can include games, outings, and meals. This is an active group that attracts seniors from across Hardin County. Here are some additional activities to check out: 22
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s -
Adult 4 Bible Study Leader: Charley Wilson Meeting Room: PB 104 Group Theme: Empty Nesters Adult 5 Bible Study Leader: Butch Clark Meeting Room: FLC 113 Group Theme: Empty Nesters Men 2 Bible Study Leader: Milton Campbell
Meeting Room: E114 Group Theme: Retired Men The church also offers a range of additional activities that have included Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University,
TOPS TX 9345
Meets Mondays 6:00/7:00 PM
First UMC
501 North Main Street Vidor, TX 77662-4939 To advertise call (512)567-8068
Do you have questions about opportunities to get involved at Crestwood Baptist Church? E-mail office manager Terrie Harris: THarris@Crestwoodbc. com or call (409) 246-2750. Crestwood Baptist Church 1150 US Highway 69 South between Kountze and Lumberton www.SETXSeniors.com
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Last of the Greatest STANLEY SIMON
Stanley Simon served in the United States Army during World War II. He was born in Orangefield on June 28th, 1921. His father was a welder at Gulf Oil in Port Arthur. He became seriously ill from exposure to gas, welding inside tanks on the refinery. Both parents spoke Cajun French in the home. His mother was popular for playing accordion at neighborhood dances that rotated from home to home. Stanley left high school to join the army. His brother Bob had already
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enlisted. Due to his father’s illness, the family was dependent on the money the brothers sent home from their army pay. In time, his father recovered
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enough to enjoy a long career as a home builder. He passed away at the age of 65 from ongoing complications from chemical exposure early in his career. In 1940, Stanley Simon was at Fort Crockett in Galveston, where the San Luis Resort is today. He helped build two huge gun emplacements. Today one has a resort swimming pool on it, and the other one was converted to a wedding chapel. He was an antiair craft specialist. He was selected for officer candidate school, but was unable to attend due to being color blind. He was valued by his superiors for the quality of training he provided to new recruits. Stanley went to Tennessee for maneuvers and then left by ship to fight the Germans in Europe. He remembers the ship was so old that it was made out of wood joined by wooden pegs. German submarines were a constant threat during the Atlantic crossing and Stanley manned a gun station during the voyage. In England, Simon remembers British families graciously opening their homes to them and taking great care of them as they prepared for the invasion. Stanley landed on D-Day at Omaha Beach. During the landing, soldiers died all around him. He was in the thick of the European conflict, walking across France on the way to Germany. Kind French farmers helped them out by providing fresh vegetables like onions and carrots. Other than that, his group subsisted on MREs, never seeing
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army cooks. Stanley Simon has painful memories of the Battle of the Bulge. Today, he remembers the frustrating lack of winter clothing as much as the formidable German army. An artillery shell exploded right on top of his position. He couldn’t hear for a long time, and he suffers from permanent hearing loss on one side to this day. He also suffered from long-term vision loss in one eye. He was in great pain and thought he might die. He left the army hospital early, against the doctor’s wishes, to catch up with his unit and get back to the war. The Germans came into the hospital shortly after he left and killed all of the doctors and nurses. Towards the end of the war, Stan-
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ley Simon experienced concentration camps first hands. He saw starving allied soldiers in POW camps and starving Jews in death camps. He saw Jewish men near death being held in cages. He saw the gas chambers up close and in person. He saw women who had been beaten to death only hours before the camps were liberated. Several times in our conversation, he came back to a thought, “The Germans were clearly smart people, but for some reason they were horrible to the Jews”. He is only one of several WWII veterans we have interviewed for our “Last of the Greatest” Series who was deeply affected by the concentration camps and the cruelty of the German government and military
to the Jews and to prisoners of war. Anyone who denies or downplays the holocaust disrespects the testimony and experience of our own veterans. He was part of a group who went into large caves the Germans were using for storage. They found German military records and the plans for the V-2 rockets that were used to bomb England. At the end of the war, they were brought home on the Europa, another older ship. The Europa was a German ship that was seized by the allies and used as a troop ship. The Atlantic crossing was particularly rough and most of the soldiers were sea sick throughout the voyage. Stanley Simon would achieve the rank of Staff Sergeant with the 60th Guard Tech Takes prides in helpinG
local families and seniors wiTh a full ranGe of pesT manaGemenT includinG:
• Ants • Roaches • Mosquitoes • Snakes • Bats • Bees call fred Turner, service manaGer: (409) 658-1464 or fred@GuardTechpesT .com
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Anti-Aircraft Artillery and received the Purple Heart. He served from July 5th 1940 – October 2nd 1945. On April 26th of 2017 Stanley Simon was recognized by the French government with the Chevalier Legion of Honour medal (Knight’s Medal). It is part of a series of medals roughly equivalent to our Medal of Honor and the highest recognition a foreign soldier can be awarded for service to the people of France. It is nice that the French actively remember and appreciate the sacrifices of our American servicemen. Stanley Simon has been a longtime member of the Robert M Pate VFW Post 2033 in Woodville TX. His wife Gladys served several years as the post chaplain. Stanley met Gladys on June 7th 1946. She had just graduated from high school and was working to become an RN. Stanley saw her sitting on her parent’s porch and came over to introduce himself. They shared a love of dancing and enjoyed the jitterbug, round dancing, and became part of a dance club together. Stanley and Gladys dated from
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steadily from their meeting in June through November 9th when they were married. Gladys finished nursing school in 1965. She worked as an ICU nurse at Mid Jefferson Hospital and then for Port Arthur Home Health. Stanley and Gladys Simon have been married for 72 years. After the war, Stanley worked as management in the machine shop at Standard Brass (Standard Alloy). He made four trips to Chicago to by machinery. There were a number of run-ins with the mob who controlled who could and could not purchase the state-of-the-art machinery Stanley’s team needed. He explained the machine as being able to independently turn a brass rod into bells. There were lots of Japanese busi-
George A Glasspool Memorial Unit
VFW Post 1514 - Village Mills TX 13634 Hwy 69 N. Village Mills, TX 77663
(409) 385-5760
Meets: First and Third Tuesdays 7 p.m.
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nessmen coming to look at the machine and taking lots of pictures. In a break between meetings someone casually said that Jimmy Hoffa was buried under the new road leading to the machine shop. The government believed it and later showed up to do extensive digging looking for the body. Today Stanley and Gladys Simon are lovingly married and living in Beaumont where they have lots of friends who they enjoy spending time with. We enjoyed the opportunity to sit down with Stanley and Gladys Simon together for this interview. We enjoy the opportunity to get to know local veterans and to share their stories. Stay tuned for more local veteran biographies on SETXSeniors.com. Do you know other veterans who would sit down and talk with us? We’d love to meet them.
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Call us to schedule an interview: (512) 567-8068 or SETXAdvertising@gmail.com. We can meet veterans at their home, a relative’s, or at a restaurant or coffee shop anywhere in East Texas or the Golden Triangle.
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Hermon Netherland from page 8
Hermon enjoyed getting away to the country to deer hunt and fish. His favorite fishing was running trotlines for catfish on the Sabine River. They would tent camp on sand bars and seine for perch to catch big flat heads. He’s also caught lots of big bass. On Lake Amanda, a friend caught two bass over ten pounds at the same spot on back to back visits. Once on a camping trip, Hermon tried eating a possum. He remembers it tasting like fresh pork. In 1985, Hermon retired from Texaco. A young Vietnamese couple
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came by and asked to see his house, which was not for sale. They were really taken with it and made a very generous cash offer. Hermon accepted and packed up for a permanent move to Lake Amanda. We really enjoyed spending time with Hermon Netherland, one of the “Last of the Greatest” local World War II veterans. It was nice to see how comfortable he is in his cabin on Lake Amanda surrounded by keepsakes that chronicle his life – mounted fish and ducks, pictures of family, and mu-
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seum quality artifacts from Europe and the Far East. We appreciate all of our veterans. In particular, our WWII veterans are remembered as being on the front lines of good versus evil. They avenged Pearl Harbor and brought an end to the Holocaust. These are heroes we can all recognize and appreciate. Too soon they will be gone, and we appreciate the opportunity to share their stories. We are interested in interviewing all of our local veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. If you know someone who would be open to talking with us, please let us know. Southeast Texas Senior Resource Guide and SETXSeniors.com Daryl Fant, Publisher (512) 567-8068 SETXAdvertising@gmail.com Have you read a number of our “Last of the Greatest Articles”? What similarities do you see to previous World War 2 veterans we have profiled? Here are some we noticed: • We have had other veterans who participated in the entire Pacific campaign. We remember Shelton Meaux who also participated in Wake, Midway, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam, and Okinawa. Chances are he was stationed just a few ships away from Hermon Netherland. • Hermon was one of several WWII veterans we interviewed who 30
lied about their age or who got their parents to sign off on them enrolling at a young age. We remember Charles Henson who begged his mom to let him join the Merchant Marine at 15 years old at the beginning of World War II. He shared stories of dodging German Stukas over the Atlantic ferrying supplies to our allies in Europe. He supplied oil to China when they were being attacked by the Japanese. During WWII he served in multiple branches. Charles served with the U.S. Army in their landing craft program, with the Coast Guard in tanker ships, and back to the U.S. Army with the military police in Germany at the end of the war. • Hermon was one of a number of WWII veterans we interviewed who came from Louisiana to the Port Arthur area, transitioning from the agricultural life their family had always known to industrial work. We remember Harrison Hill who moved from New Iberia Port Arthur to work in the ship yards and refineries. Several veterans we interviewed retired from the refineries. • Hermon was one of several local veterans who suffered from mortar wounds. We remember TJ Sasser who was a mortar squad leader hit by fire from a German mortar unit. Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more veteran interviews at SETXSeniors.com.
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Over 300 Local Articles Each Year for East Texas & Golden Triangle Senior Citizens 55+ We hope you have enjoyed this edition of the Southeast Texas Senior Resource Guide. Did you know that the printed magazine represents only a tiny percentage of the articles and information we provide local seniors? You’ll find more, a lot more, on SETXSeniors.com. The online version of the magazine offers several new articles each week covering senior friendly entertainment, activities, news, and resources. There is no cost to visit SETXSeniors.com and you are welcome to read as many articles as you’d like
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24/7. If you’d like to get information about the latest articles sent to your phone or tablet, “Like” SETX Seniors on Facebook. The online version of the magazine lets us get you information faster and to make updates as new information becomes available. Do you have an organization, ministry, or business that should be featured on SETXSeniors.com? Let us know all about it: • Daryl Fant, Publisher SETXSeniors.com • (512) 567-8068 • SETXAdvertising@gmail.com We enjoy bringing you senior news you can use.
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Introducing Synergy HomeCare
Veterans, Seniors, and New Moms – Help is Available Serving the Citizens of Southeast Texas
Synergy helps Southeast Texans with non-medical tasks including: • Medication Reminders •Companionship – including overnight stays • Meal prep – including diabetic and heart healthy • Light housekeeping • Bathing and dressing • Transportation • Recovery assistance (illness, post-
surgical, new moms) • Respite care – giving family members a chance to rest and recharge Synergy HomeCare takes pride in helping Southeast Texans when they need it most. Their care team can provide assistance for seniors, veterans, or new moms for a few hours a week or around the clock. Synergy HomeCare is ready to help.
SYNERGY HOMECARE SOUTHEAST TEXAS
4180 DELAWARE ST. STE 101 BEAUMONT, TX 77706
(409) 861-2000