Fallen heroes honored at local Memorial Day service

By: 
Rob Maharry

Despite all of the fun that is generally associated with Memorial Day weekend—grill outs, boating and gathering with family and friends to ring in the summer—the mood was more somber during Monday morning’s service at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center as those in attendance took time to honor and remember all of the soldiers who lost their lives in defense of the United States of America.
 
“Today, we honor the memories of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Their courage and commitment to the duty will always be remembered with pride and grateful gratitude,” said Randy Thoren, who led the ceremony.
           
Thoren noted that since last Memorial Day, eight more Grundy Center veterans have passed. Grundy Center High School student Tiana Saak shared a story of World War II veteran Lyle Doak, who grew up in Grundy Center before being sent overseas as a member of the Army in 1942. In September of 1944, a small group of about 10 American soldiers, including Corporal Doak, were stationed in the Netherlands when they were ambushed by almost 470 German soldiers and defended an entire town from the attack, killing over 300 of the enemy soldiers in the process.
 
During the battle, the Americans did not lose a single soldier, and the only Allied casualty was a single Frenchman. Doak eventually returned to the Grundy Center area, settling down on a farm with his wife Marcella and becoming an active member of the American Legion and AmVets groups. 
 
Read more in this week's Grundy Register. 

The Grundy Register

601 G. Avenue - P.O. Box 245
Grundy Center, IA 50638
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