Zestaugust2014

Zest For 50+ living

Disney honors local veteran

As Roy and Anita Wagner of Brownton celebrate their anniversary at Disney World, the theme park selects him as Veteran of the Day

Litchfield Baseball Association inducts Dean Pearson, Mark Nicholson & Ron Nicholson Richard & Jean Marcellus of Hutchinson mark 70th wedding anniversary Act quickly if you inherit a 401(k) account

AUGUST 2014

FREE!

Calendar of events Meeker County Fair Meeker County Fair will take place July 31-Aug. 3 at the Meeker County Fairgrounds in Litchfield. It features traditional activities, such as exhibits, livestock shows, a carnival, exhibitors, live music and demolition derbies, as well as senior day and kids’ day.

Silver Lake’s Pola-Czesky Days Silver Lake’s Pola-Czesky Days are Aug. 1-3 and feature live music, a flea market, parade, food and fireworks.

Watkins’ Kraut and Wurst Day Watkins Kraut and Wurst Day will be Aug. 1-2, when area residents celebrate their German heritage with a parade, cow drop raffle and, of course, a feast of sauerkraut and bratwurst.

FILE PHOTO

Winsted Summer Festival Winsted’s Summer Festival will be Aug. 8-10 with events that include a street dance, fireworks and parade.

Heatwole Threshing Show Take in threshing demonstrations and see more than 150 tractors on display during the Heatwole Threshing Show Aug. 8-9. Crafts and flea market vendors, blacksmith shop, engines and equipment displays, and other demonstrations on Walden Avenue, six miles southwest of Hutchinson.

Darwin Twine Ball Celebration Darwin celebrates its twine ball Aug. 9. Dubbed the World’s Largest Twine Ball Collected by One Person, the spherical collection is celebrated with parade, mini-rod races, craft fair and pork chop dinner.

Forest City Thresher Days runs Aug. 16-17, and activities include threshing and corn shredding demonstrations, a tractor parade, as well as displays of antique tractors and other farm equipment. The Forest City Thresher Days and Forest City Stockade are 6 miles northeast of Litchfield and approximately 1/2 mile south of Forest City on Minnesota Highway 24, at the intersection of Highway 24 and 309th Street. Construction is being done on Highway 24, so watch for detour signs. lots of garlic — all in support of sustainable farms and rural communities in Minnesota.

Cokato Corn Carnival Cokato’s Corn Carnival, where residents serve up free corn on the cob will be Aug. 11-13. There also will be other activities, including a parade and live music.

McLeod County Fair

The New London to New Brighton Antique Car Run with vehicles from 1908 and earlier covers 120 miles on Aug. 9. Stops in the past have included Grove City, Litchfield and Kingston.

McLeod County celebrates tradition and agriculture with its annual County Fair Aug. 13-17 at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. It features traditional fair activities, such as exhibits and showing livestock, carnival rides, exhibitors, live music, AutoCross and demolition derbies.

Minnesota Garlic Festival

Grove City AugustFest

The premier event for lovers of garlic will be Aug. 9 at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson.

This festival features food, celebrity chefs, music, area artisans, games and

Grove City is planning to celebrate summer Aug. 14-17 with a tractor pull, mud volleyball, horseshoe, trap shooting and softball tournaments, kiddie parade, talent show and parade.

Antique Car Run

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ZEST | AUGUST 2014

Forest City Stockade Rendezvous Step back in time for the 30th annual Forest City Stockade Rendezvous Aug. 16-17. The Stockade, a replica of a fort built by Forest City residents during the 1862 Dakota Conflict, is home to a variety of old-fashioned activities and food.

Forest City Thresher Days Forest City Thresher Days will be Aug. 16-17 and include displays of antique tractors and other farm equipment, along with threshing and corn shredding demonstrations. A tractor parade also is an annual event.

Dassel Red Rooster Days The city of Dassel celebrates Red Rooster Days Aug. 29-Sept. 1, with a coronation, parade, and Minnesota’s Largest Chicken Barbecue.

Email calendar information to Juliana Thill at thill@independentreview.net or call her at 320-593-4808 or 320-234-4172.

Zest For 50+ living

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CONTENTS In the news: Dean Pearson, Mark Nicholson, and his father, Ron Nicholson, are inducted into the Litchfield Baseball Association Hall of Fame L

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AUGUST 2014 Vol. 5 No. 6

PUBLISHED BY Litchfield Independent Review P.O. Box 921, Litchfield, MN 55355 320-693-3266 Hutchinson Leader 170 Shady Ridge Road NW, Suite 100 Hutchinson, MN 55350 320-587-5000

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PUBLISHER Brent Schacherer schacherer@hutchinsonleader.com 320-234-4143

story: 10 Cover As Roy Wagner visited

Disney World with his wife, Anita, the theme park named him Veteran of the Day and asked him to take part in the daily flag retreat ceremony

EDITOR Juliana Thill thill@independentreview.net 320-593-4808 Litchfield office 320-234-4172 Hutchinson office CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lyle Diekmann, Kaylee Kruschke

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ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kevin True true@hutchinsonleader.com 320-234-4141

Zest is published monthly by the Litchfield Independent Review and Hutchinson Leader newspapers. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher.

CORRECTION Litchfield resident Harry Lindbloom, a World War II veteran, was misidentified in a July photo cutline about an Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C.

Senior spotlight:

Richard and Jean Marcellus of Hutchinson celebrate 70 years of marriage

SUBSCRIPTION OR ADDRESS CHANGE Penny Stuber 320-234-4142 stuber@hutchinsonleader.com PRINTED BY Crow River Press 170 Shady Ridge Road NW Hutchinson, MN 55350

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Health: Alcohol can have an effect on your blood pressure

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Money matters: Follow IRS rules when inheriting a 401(k)

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Social Security: Willing to provide proof of benefits

13 Medicare: Some medical equipment is paid for if used at home 14 Recipes: Grilled Potato Skewers, Fresh ‘n’ Fruity Summer Salad AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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A WARM HELLO

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oy and Anita Wagner of Brownton went to Walt Disney World to mark their 55th wedding anniversary, but part way through their trip, they wound up with something new to celebrate.

The Disney staff randomly selected Roy to be the Veteran of the Day, on none other than Flag Day, which was a significant honor for this Korean War veteran.

Juliana Thill The photo on our cover shows Roy Editor holding the commemorative pin he received, which is given only to those selected as Veteran of the Day and cannot be bought at Disney gift stores, he said. After their return home, Anita told me with a laugh that Roy talked with people more about his Veteran of the Day honor than about celebrating his anniversary. But she understood, because there are mixed emotions tied to his service with the U.S. Navy and Marines, and what he lost at home while he was away at war. Read more about Roy, his time in the Navy, the “corny” way he and Anita met, and their experiences at Disney World.

Also featured in the magazine are Hutchinson residents Richard and Jean Marcellus, who marked their 70th wedding anniversary in July. Find out what the key is to their long, happy life together.

In Litchfield, three men who have a long history with amateur baseball were honored in July. The Litchfield Baseball Association inducted Litchfield Blues player Mark Nicholson, who was known for his curveball; Dean Pearson, who built his reputation with the glove; and Ron Nicholson, who helped resurrect amateur baseball in Litchfield in 1977 and served as LBA president for several years.

This summer is going by quickly. So, before leaves start to fall, be sure to enjoy a community festival or event.

Check out our calendar listing on Page 2 for ideas.

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HEALTH TIP

Alcohol can affect your blood pressure In small amounts, alcohol can help lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol, generally more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for men.

Binge drinking in particular can cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure and increase your risk of stroke. If you’re a heavy or binge drinker, talk to your doctor about how to reduce your drinking.

— Mayo Clinic

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Marcelluses of Hutchinson celebrate 70 years of marriage

By Kaylee Kruschke

Jean and Richard Marcellus celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on July 31.

They lived in Hutchinson for 42 of their 70 years together. Richard and Jean enjoy traveling and tending to their flower garden in their backyard.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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ichard and Jean Marcellus celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in July.

Their secret to a long marriage?

“I guess the main thing is, no problems,” Richard said.

Jean added that no arguments help, as well.

For Richard and Jean, it all started in high school, where they met in the 1940s in Defiance, Ohio.

In 1943, Richard was drafted into the U.S. Army and was sent to Europe during World War II. When he returned, the high school sweethearts decided to get married July 31, 1944.

The wedding was small. Richard said that was because everyone was in the service at that time. “It wasn’t like the weddings today,” Jean said.

The couple’s marriage was blessed with four children, Richard Jr., Peter,

Mark and Jeff. “...I’m sure my three brothers would echo that we and our families have cherished Mom and Dad’s love and support over the years,” said Mark Marcellus, the couple’s son.

Richard held various management positions with J.C. Penney for 42 years, and Jean was a stay-at-home mother.

The family moved many times — from Ohio to Indiana, Missouri, Iowa,

and their last stop was Hutchinson.

Richard retired in 1986 as the Hutchinson Mall J.C. Penney store manager, and the couple decided to stay in Hutchinson.

The couple’s family has grown to include seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and one on the way and due in August.

“We’ve had a very happy life,” Jean said.

AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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IN THE NEWS

Three men inducted into Litchfield Baseball Association Hall of Fame Dean Pearson, Mark Nicholson and his father, Ron, honored during ceremony

By Lyle Diekmann CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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s a Litchfield Blues player, Mark Nicholson was known for his curveball. Dean Pearson built his reputation with the glove. For Ron Nicholson, baseball was one of his true loves.

That’s why all three were inducted into the Litchfield Baseball Association Hall of Fame on July 6 at Optimist Park.

“It’s quite an honor,” Pearson said.

Pearson and the Nicholsons were part of the 13th class of the LBA Hall of Fame, which began in 2002. With three new inductees, membership has grown to 42 players, coaches and volunteers.

A love of the game Pearson and Mark Nicholson were instrumental in establishing Litchfield Blues baseball.

Pearson became an original Blues member, helping bring amateur baseball back to Litchfield in 1977.

“I graduated from Litchfield High School in 1974,” Pearson said.

“Kingston started a league in ’74 and I went there and played for two years. I went back to Litchfield in 1977.”

Pearson provided the club with a solid-hitting, slick-fielding shortstop.

He batted .333 the first half of the 1977 season and represented the Blues on the Central Valley League all-star team.

Pearson led the Blues to their first state tournament berth a year later.

Litchfield returned to state in 1979 after it won a second straight CVL championship.

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While Pearson had his moments at the plate — including 11 hits in a fourgame stretch during the 1981 season — he made his biggest impact playing in the field.

Pearson said he developed his knack for fielding growing up on the family farm.

“I had the Twins on the radio and listened to the games while I threw a rubber ball against a wall,” Pearson said. “It was something to do, and I loved the game. To me playing shortstop was the most fun because something is always happening where you can be involved in the play.”

Father, son join Hall Pearson had a front-row seat for some of Mark Nicholson’s pitching gems.

After playing baseball for four years at Concordia College in Moorhead, Nicholson played one season of amateur ball for Dassel-Cokato in 1977.

Nicholson became a member of the Blues in 1978 and the right-hander played with the team for six seasons.

Nicholson had success as a starter and a reliever thanks to impeccable control and a sharp-breaking curveball.

“Mark was very good,” Pearson said.

“He had a tough, tough curveball. In batting practice he would even tell us he was throwing a curveball and we were backing out real fast.”

Nicholson also played a little bit at first base, but he made his mark on the mound.

“I liked to have that challenge of being able to outwit or outpitch the batter,” Nicholson said. “Sometimes you did and sometimes you didn’t.”

Nicholson had some help from his father, Ron, who served as a coach on some of Mark’s youth teams.

“He was always very supportive,” Mark Nicholson said. “He shared everything he learned through the

PHOTO BY LYLE DIEKMANN

The three 2014 inductees into the Litchfield Baseball Association's Hall of Fame are, clockwise from the top, Dean Pearson, Ron Nicholson and Mark Nicholson.

years with me. He was always encouraging with me whether we were winning or losing. He definitely contributed a lot. It’s really quite special to go in (the hall of fame) on the same day as him.”

While Mark’s playing career benefited from some sound fatherly advice, he also understood the impact Ron made on baseball in Litchfield.

Ron Nicholson helped resurrect amateur baseball in Litchfield in 1977 and served as LBA president from 1977 to 1981.

“The players on the field get the attention of the fans. It’s the people behind the scenes that don’t get the attention,” Ron Nicholson said. “You don’t do it for the attention, but it’s sure rewarding that someone recognizes that you did help. That’s probably the most gratifying part. If I was selected any time this would be the time. I’m very appreciative of the fact they picked us together.”

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Medicare might pay for walkers, other medical equipment used at home Dear Marci, I have Original Medicare. Does Medicare cover routine dental care, such as dental cleanings or checkups?

— Joyce Dear Joyce, No, Medicare generally does not cover routine dental care, such as dental cleanings and checkups. Medicare also generally does not cover dental fillings, bridges, implants or dentures. However, Medicare may cover certain dental services in very limited circumstances.

Specifically, Medicare may cover dental services if the services are needed to protect your general health. Medicare “Dear Marci” will also cover dental services if is a service of the those services are necessary for Medicare Rights another Medicare-covered health Center, the largest service to be successful. independent For example, Medicare may source of Medicare pay for dental services if you have information and a disease that involves your assistance in the mouth or jaw, like oral cancer, United States. For and you need dental services for more information, radiation treatment. Medicare go online to www. may also pay for dental services if medicarerights.org. you need dental procedures to treat jaw or face fractures.

As a reminder, people with Medicare can get their Medicare benefits through either Original Medicare, the traditional Medicare program administered directly through the federal government, or through a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medicare private health plan. For the most part, Original Medicare only covers dental services under very limited circumstances and will not cover routine dental care.

However, people with Medicare Advantage plans may have limited coverage of dental care, depending on their plan’s specific benefits. People with Medicare Advantage plans should contact their plan directly to see what dental services are covered by their plan.

If you have Medicare and you need dental care, know that there may be other ways for you to get coverage of the dental care you need. For example, you may be able to enroll into stand-alone dental plans or participate in dental discount programs. Contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program for information on dental plans and programs that may be offered in your area. You can locate your local SHIP number by going online and visiting www.shiptalk.org.

— Marci

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AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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MONEY MATTERS

IRS has rules, deadlines for inherited retirement accounts Talk to a financial or legal expert before taking action on your inheritance

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alk about good news wrapped in bad: In the midst of grieving the loss of a loved one, you learn that you were named beneficiary of their 401(k) plan.

Chances are you’ve got too much on your mind to make any sudden decisions about what to do with the money. However, don’t procrastinate too long.

The IRS has ironclad rules, deadlines and penalties concerning inherited retirement accounts, which vary depending on what type of account it is. This column discusses inherited 401(k) and similar employer-provided plans.

Under federal law, surviving spouses automatically inherit their spouse’s 401(k) plan unless someone else was named beneficiary and the surviving spouse signed a written waiver. If someone is single at death, their plan’s assets go to their designated beneficiary.

The IRS has basic tax and distribution rules and timetables for inherited 401(k) plans. However, the plans themselves are allowed to set more restrictive guidelines if they choose, so read the plan documents carefully.

Basic guidelines are: N You must pay income tax on distributions (except for Roth accounts, which have already been taxed), although you may be able to spread out withdrawals and tax payments over a number of years, depending on how you structure it.

N Many 401(k) plans require beneficiaries to withdraw the money in either a lump sum or separate payments extending no longer than five years after the person’s death; however, some will allow you to keep the money in the plan indefinitely, so check their rules.

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Jason Alderman Senior director of financial education programs at Visa Inc.

N Note that distributions will be added to your taxable income for the year, which can greatly increase your tax bite. Thus, many people prefer to spread the payments out as long as possible. Plus, the longer funds remain in the account, the longer they accrue earnings, tax-free.

N If the original account holder had already reached the mandatory withdrawal age of 70 1/2, you may be allowed to continue withdrawing funds according to his or her withdrawal schedule. Your minimum annual withdrawal amount is based on your own life expectancy, according to IRS tables (see Appendix C in IRS Publication 590 at www.irs.gov).

Alternatively, you could speed up the payment schedule or take a lump sum.

N You may also be able to transfer your balance into an “inherited IRA,” which must be named and maintained separately from your other IRAs. With an inherited IRA, you must withdraw a certain amount each year, based on your life expectancy. Distributions must begin the year following the donor’s death, regardless of whether or not you’re retired.

N Make sure the 401(k) trustee transfers funds directly to the inherited IRA’s trustee so you never touch the money; otherwise the transfer may be voided and you’ll have to pay taxes on the entire sum that year.

N Surviving spouses have an additional option: Instead of opening an inherited IRA, they’re also allowed to do a “spousal rollover,” which means

The IRS has rules, deadlines and penalties concerning inherited retirement accounts, which vary depending on what type of account it is. However, the plans themselves are allowed to set more restrictive guidelines if they choose, so read the plan documents carefully. rolling over the balance into an existing or new IRA in their own name.

The key advantage of a spousal rollover is that you don’t have to begin taking mandatory withdrawals until you reach 70 1/2, unlike inherited IRAs where you must begin withdrawals the year after the donor’s death.

N One last point: Always withdraw at least the required minimum distribution amount each year, if one is specified. If not, you’ll pay a penalty equal to 50 percent of the difference between the required minimum distribution and what you actually withdrew.

Bottom line: Talk to a financial or legal expert before taking any action on your inheritance.

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SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security can provide proof of benefits for people applying for a loan

Q: A:

How can I get proof of my benefits to apply for a loan?

If you need proof you get Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income and/or Medicare, you can request a benefit verification letter online through your Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. This letter is sometimes called a “budget letter,” a “benefits letter,” a “proof of income letter,” or a “proof of award letter.”

Q: A:

(62+/ Disabled)

I am applying for Extra Help with prescription drug costs. Can state agencies help with my Medicare costs?

Yes. When you file your application for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs, you also can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Programs — state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. When you apply for Extra Help, Social Security will send information to your state, unless you tell us not to on the application.

Your state will contact you to help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.

Q:

I had a serious leg injury three years ago and received disability benefits for about 19 months until I could return to work.

Unfortunately, my leg problems returned and I might not be able to continue working much longer. When I applied for benefits, I waited five months before I was eligible to receive my first check. If I reapply for benefits, will I again be subject to this waiting period?

A:

No. If you become disabled a second time within five years after your previous disability benefits stopped, there is no five-month waiting period before benefits start. If your claim is approved, you can receive benefits for the first full month of disability.

However, it can take from three to five months to get a decision on a disability claim, depending on how long it takes to obtain your medical records and any other information we need to decide whether you are disabled. You can help shorten this time by providing as much information as possible when you apply for benefits.Review our booklet, Disability at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

By Jon Noyes, district manager at the Social Security Administration office in St. Cloud, Minn. Contact him at 3800 Veterans Drive, Suite 100, St. Cloud; 877-405-1446.

AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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SUBMITTED PHOTO

While Anita and Roy Wagner of Brownton were celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary in June at Walt Disney World, the theme park selected Roy as Veteran of the Day on June 14, Flag Day. Celebrating with the Wagners are their daughter, Julie, her husband, Mark, and their children, Joshua, Jessica and Jordan of New Ulm. Roy was asked to participate in the evening retreat ceremony, when the flag is respectfully lowered and folded.

Disney World also presented him with a certificate and commemorative pin, which Jordan is holding, that are given only to those selected for the Veteran of the Day honor. (On the cover, Roy holds his commemorative pin.)

Marriage, A military a little magic

&

A Disney World trip meant to celebrate Roy and Anita Wagner’s 55th wedding anniversary includes a surprise ceremony to honor Roy, a Korean War veteran 10

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By Juliana Thill EDITOR

s Anita and Roy Wagner reveled in 55 years of marriage during a recent trip to Walt Disney World, they felt the enchantment of Magic Kingdom.

And then, the Florida theme park made the Wagners’ visit even more magical when an employee approached the couple and told them Roy had been selected as Veteran of the Day. “It’s never happened to anybody in McLeod County, according to Jim Lauer (veterans service officer). So this is the first time,” Anita said excitedly.

When people register at Disney World, they can state whether they are a veteran. Disney staff then choose a veteran at random each day for the Veteran of the Day honor, “but you don’t know who’s doing the considering,” Anita said.

The Wagners of Brownton went to Disney World on June 8 and spent a week there with their daughter, Julie, her husband, Mark Petersen, and their

children, Joshua, Jessica and Jordan, before embarking on a four-day Disney cruise.

On June 14, the sixth day of their stay at Disney World, “we were over at Epcot just about noontime, and fife and drum corps presented their show outside and then we went in for another show in the building,” Roy said.

Roy, 83, a Korean War veteran, was wearing his U.S. Navy cap that day, which helped keep the sun out of his eyes, and likely enabled Disney staff to identify him as a veteran.

“It’s really difficult to determine who has their eye on you and at what time of the day,” he said.

“As we were walking in, he (a Disney employee) approached me and said, ‘You’re a veteran? What’s your name?’ He knew me somehow, and ... gave us a message that I was chosen to be the Veteran of the Day, and I should be at the flag area at 4:45 in the afternoon,” Roy said.

“Rain or shine,” Anita, 76, added, “and it was pouring rain.”

Disney World’s retreat ceremony happens daily at 5 p.m. at the flag pole near the entrance to the park.

“Fortunately, the rain stopped momentarily, and we managed to have the flag lowered slowly and folded up.

It was a job. It’s an enormous flag, and it was heavy,” Roy said. “Then, after that was done, we marched across the street to the Walt Disney Theater, and then a ceremony was held there.”

Recalling the formal, dignified ceremony brought forth a mix of emotions, from excitement to sadness, for Roy. “They introduced me as the Veteran of the Day and presented me with a certificate and a pin that is only given to the veterans. It’s just an honor to have that privilege,” he said haltingly, as he fought back tears.

“I knew it was going to be emotional,” Anita said, referring to the ceremony. “The veterans who are there that day are in tears. There was a lot of emotion being in the military.”

Roy had to pause for a few moments when asked recently what it meant to be chosen for the honor and to participate in the retreat ceremony, which coincidentally occurred on Flag Day. The significance was not lost on him.

Roy choked up and tears welled up in his eyes as he looked away, searching for the right words.

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COVER STORY

As Disney World’s Veteran of the Day, Roy Wagner, in the red poncho, participates in Disney’s retreat ceremony on a rainy June 14, Flag Day. The retreat ceremony is a daily ceremony in which the flag is lowered at the end of the work day, folded and handed to the Veteran of the Day.

“After four years in Korea, it meant a lot,” Anita said, quietly filling the silence.

While Roy saw great suffering and loss of life in the war, there also was suffering and loss of life occurring back home for Roy. “His military time brings back a bad memory for him,” Anita explained, “because his mother died (in 1952) while he was in Korea, and he couldn’t come home. He didn’t know for two weeks after she died at age 60.”

In 1954, Roy had transferred back to the United States and arrived home just minutes before his father’s funeral, she added.

“He left home with a mom and a dad and siblings, and he came home to no home, no mom and no dad. His siblings were farmed out elsewhere,” Anita said.

For Roy, the privilege to be recognized as Veteran of the Day and participate in the retreat ceremony was special enough. To do it on Flag Day held even more meaning for this Korean War veteran whose respect for the flag and his country is immeasurable.

“It’s hard to explain,” he said, his voice quivering. “I guess you might say, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime situation.

Who would ever believe that would coincide on the same day. It was a great experience.”

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Roy Wagner served as a medic in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from 1951 to 1955.

In the Navy Roy was the eighth of 11 children born to Adolph and Bertha Wagner. He grew up on a farm between Stewart and Hutchinson, where he lived and went to country school until seventh grade, when the family moved into Hutchinson. His father worked for the city of Hutchinson, and Roy and his siblings attended Hutchinson Public Schools.

He graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1949, and attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., for one year of pre-pharmacy classes.

Realizing he was running out of money and assuming he would be drafted into the Korean War, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from March 1951 to March 1955.

He completed his basic training at

AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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COVER STORY

Great Lakes, Ill., near Chicago, and then went to U.S. Medical Corps School, where he was the top Navy medic. As a hospital corpsman, he was sent to St. Albans Hospital in New York City in October 1951.

“Unfortunately, that only lasted for four or five months. One day, we had an officer come in and say, ‘Who wants to volunteer?’” Roy recalled.

He knew better than to raise his hand. “Once you’re in the service, you make that mistake only once of volunteering. Nobody volunteered,” he said, but the officer chose him and others.

“He said, ‘we’re losing too many folks of your caliber, so pack your bags. You’re going to Camp Pendleton in California (the Marine Corps base).’”

The Marines are the combat part of the U.S. Navy. Medics serve beside the Marines who are fighting and take care of Marines who are injured.

Roy didn’t want to be in the Army, that’s why he joined the Navy, he said.

Yet, as a Marine medic, he ended up on the ground near the front lines.

“On July 4, 1952, we actually landed in Korea, and I stayed there until May 1953,” he said.

As a medic, he performed a job similar to what a physician assistant would do today, he said.

“We were trained to do whatever was needed to be done. Anybody that was in action that got wounded, we were the first ones they saw, unless they were very serious. Then they were brought by helicopter down to a hospital area before they went aboard a ship or flew to the States,” he said.

In 1954, he was transferred to the United States, and spent time in Hawaii before going back to Camp Pendleton and then to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

He was assigned to a med (Mediterranean) cruise. He served on a landing craft ship, “where you have a great big hole in the back of the ship.

You fill it with water, and you float the ducks out. They’re loaded with tanks or Jeeps, and you make landings as if it were real. We got educated on how it is to land in case you ever needed to.

We hit ports such as Portugal, Algeria, Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Spain and Gibraltar. We covered a lot of country.”

The Mediterranean cruise brought him to the end of his four years of serv-

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Anita and Roy Wagner of Brownton celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary at Walt Disney World with family.Their daughter, Julie, made a memory book of their celebration.

PHOTO BY JULIANA THILL

ice in March 1955.

“I really think it would be beneficial if all young people, at one time in their life, had some military time. It would give them a different outlook on life,” Roy said. “I would not want to do it again, but I would not have given up the experiences I had at that point in time, and the ability to travel, from one part of the world to the opposite end. It was invaluable experience; no doubt about it.”

A corny love story Roy returned to Minnesota after he was discharged and went to work as a nurse at the Green Giant factory in Glencoe.

One day, in walked Anita Allen, who worked on the floor handling corn. She had allergies and had to go to Roy’s office and put in nose drops every two hours.

Well, “That’s what she told me. I don’t believe that,” he said with a hearty laugh, saying teasingly that she liked to come visit him and that the allergies were all in her head.

“I was a peon, and he was in a white uniform, nice and clean looking, all important in his white medical uniform,” Anita recalled. “And I was all full of corn like all the other people who worked there with corn splashing around.”

The two hit it off, yet both decided to pursue their education before getting married. Anita went off to Mankato State University for a teaching degree, and Roy headed to North Dakota State University in Fargo, to pursue a

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Anita and Roy Wagner were married June 6, 1959, at First Congregational Church in Glencoe. degree in pharmacy. The two continued their long-distance relationship and dated when Roy could return home for a visit.

Roy chose NDSU because that’s where his brother, who was four years younger, was enrolled, also in the pharmacy program.

“He had a couple of years before he graduated. I decided, ‘as long as you’re up there, why don’t I go up there, and I can use some of your books. We can rent a room together and we can spend time together,’” Roy recalled.

Roy graduated in May 1959, and he and Anita were married a week later on June 6 in Glencoe.

They made their home in Hutchinson, and she worked as a kindergarten and first grade teacher for Hutchinson Public Schools. Roy, who earlier had worked as a soda jerk for Heil Drug Store in Hutchinson, returned there as a pharmacist.

A few years later, the pharmacist who ran the drug store in Brownton gave Roy the opportunity to buy the business, which Roy did in 1963, and the Wagners moved to Brownton.

They operated Wagner Pharmacy in the Brownton Clinic building until July 1976, when they purchased the historic Redman Harness building in Brownton and remodeled it into an old-fashioned corner drug store, moving their pharmacy into the building in August 1976.

“Unfortunately it didn’t work out as we had planned. Being a small town, it didn’t have a hospital or nursing home (in the 1960s). Hutchinson enticed away the younger of the two doctors to work,” he said. After the elder doctor retired, the town couldn’t find a doctor to take over the practice, so “bad went

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT YOUR

to worse, and eventually we closed down,” the pharmacy in 1995.

Though the pharmacy closed, its history lives on.

“We gave the whole 100-year-old pharmacy to Pioneer Park,” Anita said.

Wagner Pharmacy, including the store’s fixtures, prescription counter, bottles, and over-the-counter supplies, is now one of the historical exhibits on display at the Annandale park.

“It was the only pharmacy store Brownton ever had, but handed down by different proprietors,” Roy said.

Both of Roy and Anita’s children, Mark and Julie, worked at the pharmacy, “because we wanted them to learn how to count change and how to meet the public,” Anita said.

Mark, now owner of a law firm in Edina, lives in Chanhassen with his wife, Karen, and their daughters, Alexandra and Amelia; and Julie, is a kindergarten teacher and lives in New Ulm with her family.

The entire Wagner family was thrilled when they learned their father

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COVER STORY

and grandfather had been chosen as the Veteran of the Day, Julie said.

“This most important ceremony was a wonderful opportunity to proudly honor our father and grandfather, our American hero, for his selfless military service. It was also an opportunity to recognize and thank all veterans and their families for the commitment, courage, and service they, too, have offered,” Julie said.

“Disney World has been labeled the most magical place on Earth,” Roy said, noting that their memorable trip took place in Magic Kingdom.

“They make the magic happen,” Anita said.

Roy agreed.

“It was magic, I assure you. It would be a good thing that when families go there, they should still remember ...”

Roy said, as he choked back tears. “...Why they are free — that’s what Roy says,” Anita said, finishing his sentence for him. “Land of the free ...”

“Because of the brave,” he added.

“That’s a quote worth remembering,” she said. I

Rustad Tours

2014 Tour Schedule Baseball Tour ..................................................... August 1 – 6 Folklorama ......................................................... August 3 – 6 Mississippi River Cruise ................................... August 12 – 15 Mackinac Island ............................................. August 17 – 21 Yellowstone National Park Tour. ....................... August 20 – 25 Pacific Northwest... ......................................September 6 – 22 National Park Tour.......................................September 6 – 18 New England States...................... September 28 – October 11 Door County............................................. September 27 – 30 Minot Hostfest I...............................September 30 – October 3 Minot Hostfest II................................................ October 2 – 5 Smoky Mountains.......................................... October 13 – 20

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AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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FOOD & FUN Continue celebrating summer throughout August by firing up the grill and making Grilled Potato Skewers or dish up a light dinner with a Fresh ‘n’ Fruity Summer Salad Grilled Potato Skewers

2 medium Colorado Russet or white or yellow-flesh potatoes or 6 small red potatoes 2 medium zucchini 1/2 of a smoked sausage rope 1/2 cup Italian dressing 4 12-inch skewers Preheat grill. Cut medium potatoes into 6 equal pieces, or cut red potatoes in half. Cut each zucchini

into six slices. Cut sausage into 12 slices. Place 3 pieces potato, zucchini and sausage on each skewer, alternating them. Place skewers in shallow baking dish and pour Italian dressing over them. Marinate for five minutes. Place skewers on grill and cook five minutes on each side or until potatoes are done. Use oven mitts to remove skewers from grill.

Makes four servings.

SOURCE: WWW.CULINARY.NET/ COLORADO POTATO ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

Crossword puzzle Across 1.“Check this out!”

5. Chowder morsel 9. Like a stuffed shirt 13. Diamond Head locale 14. LP player (hyphenated) 15. Put an edge on 17.Arab League member 18.Aardvark fare 19. Be bombastic 20. Entices (2 wds) 22. Small fruit-filled pastry 24.“The Three Faces of ___” 25.“It’s no ___!”

26.“A jealous mistress”: Emerson 27.“___ fallen ...” (contraction) 28.“Do the Right Thing” pizzeria owner 29. Causes oneself to move 31. Barbie’s beau 32.Assignation 34. Feeling remorse for one’s sins 36. Institution for parentless children 39. One who makes ready 42. Draconian 46. Call, as a game 47. Reach 50.“___ moment” 51. Santa’s helper

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Crossword puzzle answer on Page 15 52. Male sheep (British) 53.“... ___ he drove out of sight” 54. Caribbean, e.g.

55. Shore, esp. a resort area 57. Common deer of Europe and Asia (2 wds) 59. Ban 60. Cat’s scratcher 62. Jerk 63.Acrylic fiber

ZEST | AUGUST 2014

64. Sky box?

65. On the safe side, at sea 66. Brings home 67. Lentil, e.g.

68. Ball material

Down 1. Having the least wealth 2. Russian urn 3. Having a pleasing figure 4. Correct pitch

5. Light, open horse-drawn carriage 6. Small Old World finch 7.Astern 8.Wrong 9. Myopic 10.“Beetle Bailey” creator Walker 11. Dissimilar 12. Square things (2 wds) 16. Hinged catch that prevents backward wheel movement 21. Deductions 23.“Gladiator” setting 30. In pieces 33.Absorb, with “up” 35. Oolong, for one 37. Pleased with oneself 38. Persistent naggings, esp. of husband 39. Fast 40. Brush up on 41. Capable of being expressed in words 43. Red skin rash 44.Villain, at times 45. Listen attentively 48. Freshen 49. Served aboard an aircraft or ship 56. Dirty coat 58. June 6, 1944 (hyphenated) 61. Deception

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FOOD & FUN

SOURCE: WWW. CULINARY.NET/ WWW.SENECA FOODS.COM.

Fresh ‘n’ Fruity Summer Salad Dressing 1 jar (16 ounces) sliced pickled beets, undrained 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup canola or olive oil Salad 1 package (6 ounces) ready-to-eat baby spinach or other greens, about 6 cups 2 1/2 cups bite-size pieces honeydew melon or cantaloupe 2 peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges 1 cup fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds For dressing, drain beets, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Set beets aside. In small bowl, combine reserved beet liquid, orange juice, basil and pepper. With wire whisk or fork, whisk in oil. Set aside.

For salad, arrange spinach, reserved beets, melon, peaches and berries on large platter.

To serve, drizzle with dressing; toss slightly. Sprinkle with almonds.

Answer to Crossword Puzzle published on Page 14

517 N. Sibley Ave.

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Senior Housing

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• Adult Day Services • Home Care & Hospice Care • Hospice Care • Foot Care Clinics • Lifeline® • Meals on Wheels • Support Groups

Care Center Long Term Care & Rehabilitation Services • Emmanuel

Transportation • Meeker Public Transit • Meeker Council on Aging Volunteer Drivers

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AUGUST 2014 | ZEST

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A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF CARE IN HUTCHINSON

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1st and 3rd Saturdays Labor Day through Memorial Day: 8:30 a.m.– 12 Noon

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With the school year starting, it is time for your children or grandchildren to get their “Back to School” eye exam. One out of every four school age children has some type of vision problem. It is important to know if a child has a vision problem and to protect their eyes. Vision problems can include sitting really close to the television, headaches, short attention span, excessive blinking or squinting, and poor coordination when throwing or catching. At the start of the year, every child should have a complete eye exam with an eyecare professional to check for any potential problems that may interfere with learning. In the United States, only 14 percent of children under the age of six have had a comprehensive eye exam. This happens because children have nothing to compare their eye sight to. If you haven’t seen something 20/20, you’ve got nothing to compare it to. Often children won’t complain about their vision because they don’t realize their vision is blurry, they assume that is just how the world looks.

Once they’ve seen that 20/20 vision, from then on they know. The doctors at Regional Eye Center perform eye exams on children of all ages. We have new hours to serve you better with doctor appointments available Monday and Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays during the school year from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

N02351 Z

Regional Eye Center

CHILDREN’S EYE HEALTH

Call today for your personal introduction!