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Chilly Day doesn’t curtain patriotic crowd for Veterans Day Parade
Veterans Day parade through Florissant Nov.11
Special to Flo Valley News
A chilly but mostly dry day allowed parade goers to see a spectacular Veterans’ Parade followed by the presentation of the Veteran of the Year award that was held on at the VFW Post 4105 on rue St. Francois where the parade concluded.
The 2018 Veterans’ Day Parade was held on Sunday, November 11th that coincided with the 100th Anniversary of the 1918 Armistice ending the hostilities of World War I of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. At Mayor Schneider’s request many Florissant area churches tolled their bells at 11 AM Sunday Morning in recognition of the historic centennial significance of the hour and to ring out a message of hope for freedom and peace.
This year’s Parade Marshal was Dennis Klier, who was last year’s Veteran of the Year winner. This year’s Veteran of the Year award went to: Richard Rosenkoetter. Richard’s entire military service was spent in the Artillery in the Fire Direction Center. He spent thirteen months in Korea in A battery, 6th battalion, 37th Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division and then he went to the 1st Infantry Division in a missile unit and finally to the 24th Division in an 8″ self-propelled artillery unit.
He has been a member of the VFW since 1969 and served as Quartermaster twice at Post 4105 for a total of six years, the American Legion since 1983 and the Korean War Veterans, Chapter 4 since 2009 where he currently serves as their Finance Officer. Richard and wife Jeanette have a blended family of seven children, twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Included are two sons who are retired military, one from the Army and the other from the Navy.
Tony Colombo from FM News Talk 97.1 and SGM US Army (Ret.) Carl A. Hargus, Director, Service to Veterans – MO Veterans Commission (Ret.) was the Emcee. This year’s Guest Speaker from the United States Marine Corp. was Retired Master Sergeant (MSgt.) Russell W. Avery.
Mayor Schneider also (US Navy Seabee Vet) addressed the assembly with remarks about the morning of November 11, 1918 when the fighting continued until 11 a.m., when the moment arrived that was to end all wars. After his remarks the Mayor was taken by surprise when he was presented with a plaque from the VFW Post in recognition for his support for Veterans and for his 40+ years of service to Florissant as a Councilman and Mayor.
The Mayor thanked the VFW and the St. Louis County Veterans’ Coalition for organizing another successful Veterans’ Day Parade, all the participants that participated and to all the people that came out to watch the parade and attended the award presentations of this year’s Veteran of the Year.
The award’s ceremony can be viewed on our government access channel or on-line at www.florissantmo.com.
(story provided by Mayor Schneider’s office)
