In Memory

Through the years of Freedom Fest, many people
have become good friends of Freedom Fest.  Some
are veterans, some are related to people involved.  
Some became a part of the Freedom Fest extended
family.  Each year we honor those who have
departed since the last Freedom Fest.  
Unfortunately, the list is getting long.  We wish to
remember them here under the year they were
honored at Freedom Fest.

2006

Max Struve
Audubon, Iowa

Max served in World War II in the Air Force.  He
arrived at Roughman Air Base shortly before
D-Day.  Max was a devoted husband, father and
grandfather.  He attended Freedom Fest as often
as his health permitted.  Anyone who met Max
knew exactly where Don (his son) got his since
of humor.  Max's smile and laughter will be
missed by everyone.

Mary Adams
Newton, Kansas

Mary loved veterans.  Her brother Bobby Joe
had served in Vietnam and died as a result of his
service.  Mary loved attending veterans reunions
and gatherings.  Mary always did what she could
to help our veterans.  She was a very loving
person with a huge heart. Mary put up a long and
hard battle with diabetes  Mary will be missed by
all those who knew her.

Rod Green
Phillips, Nebraska

Rod was a Vietnam Veteran who served in the
Navy.  Rod and his wife Teresa attended as many
Freedom Fests as they could.  They traveled to flea
markets and sold antiques all over the four state
area.  Rod was a very quiet man and enjoyed
coming to Skidmore any time he got a chance.  
Rod's smile will be missed by many.

2005

Raeanna Sproat Hawkins
St. Joseph, Missouri

Raeanna Sproat Hawkins served in the Missouri Air
National Guard 139th Medical Squadron.  Raeanna, the
daughter of John Sproat, attended several Freedom
Fests and helped at The Wall during its visits in
Skidmore.  

Raeanna was proud to serve her country.  While serving
her country she worked hard at her education.  After
graduating from Nodaway – Holt High School, Raeanna
went to college and received a degree in biology with a
minor in business.  Raeanna then went on to get her
masters degree in psychology.

Raeanna was born July 7, 1976 and lost her battle with
cancer on June 6, 2005.  She leaves behind a loving
family, including her husband Scott and two small sons,
Riley and Shayden and many friends.  Raeanna will be
missed by all that knew her.  

2004

BOB "General" Bundy
Kenosha, Wisconsin

BOB was a Vietnam veteran from Kenosha, Wisconsin who
attended Freedom Fest on a regular basis.  Bob and his
wife, Joan, tried to bring as many new people with them as
they could each year.  He always had a smile on his face
and would help anyway he could.  The last Freedom Fest
Bob attended happen to fall on his birthday.  We had a cake
(with a Harley on it) for him and he shared it with everyone.
 He enjoyed  going to veteran activities across the country.  
He enjoyed being around and talking with other veterans.

Bob fought a long battle with Hepatitis C.  On January 1,
2004 Bob lost that battle.  Bob will be missed by all that
knew him.

Sue Chapman
Manteca, California

Sue was born on January 9, 1959 in Burlingame, California.  
She died at the age of 45 on March 3, 2004, at her residence
in Manteca, California, where she had lived for the last 2 1/2
years.

Sue's love of the military and our veterans began at a very
young age.  She was the daughter of a Navy Man.  He helped
instill a strong sense of patriotism in Sue.   Though married
three times only her last husband was a veteran, Dennis
Chapman from Aurora, Colorado.

Even though Sue did not serve in the military, her patriotism
and her love for veterans was phenomenal.   She worked with
veterans in Colorado and attended veterans reunions in
Colorado, Nebraska and Missouri.  Sue always wore the POW
bracelet of LTC Earl Hopper, Jr. She almost always wore an
old army field jacket.  Sue knew many in the veterans
community and wanted to get to know many more.
She passed her patriotism on to her children.

Sue only made it to one Freedom Fest before she was
diagnosed with cancer and was unable to attend due to her
health.  Sue had a wonderful smile and infectious laugh.  She
will be greatly missed at Freedom Fest and by many in the
veteran community.

Peggy Jo Davis
Flatrock, Illinois

Peggy was the wife of Congressional Medal of Honor
Recipient Sammy Davis.  Peggy traveled the country with
Sammy going to veterans reunions, conventions, army bases,
schools, any place that invited Sammy to speak.  Peggy was
by Sammy's side as often as she could be there.

Peggy and Sammy were married on Peggy's 18th birthday,
December 27, 1968  She was a wonderful mother of three
and had three beautiful granddaughters and a grandson.
Peggy lost her five year battle with cancer on March 12,
2004.

Peggy touched the lives of so many people around the
country.  She was a classy lady with a heart of gold.  She will
be missed not only at Freedom Fest, but by many around the
country.

Bob Perry
Skidmore, Missouri

Bob Perry was an Army veteran who served from 1970 -
1973.  He worked in Postal Operations in Heidelberg,
Germany.  

Bob love plants and flowers.  He grew beautiful flowers in
the his greenhouse in Skidmore for around 8 years.  Each
time Freedom Fest had the Moving Wall scheduled to visit,
he would make beautiful arrangements to decorate the area.  
He would grow them all summer long to have them ready
for September.

Bob was a very generous, quiet man.  He loved to add his
special touch to things around the community.

Ron Ryan
Texas

Ron was a Marine Vietnam veteran who made Skidmore a stop in
his journey through life.  He helped plan the first visit of The
Moving Wall to Skidmore and he helped design Freedom Fest's
first t-shirt.  Ron's undying generosity will always be remembered
by many of the good friends he left behind.



Frank Dipolito
Tampa, Florida

Frank served in both Korea and Vietnam.  He was proud to have
served in the United States Marine Corps.  Frank attended as many
Freedom Fests as his health would allow.  He and his wife Bonnie
made the trip from Tampa, Florida as often as they could.  Frank
will be remembered and greatly missed by his friends and family.

Anita Brown
Skidmore, Missouri

Anita was a Skidmore native.  She always supported
Freedom Fest by helping with the event and attending and
donating to fund-raisers through the year.  Anita always
decorated her beauty shop to salute and honor our veterans.
 She always enjoyed seeing all of the people from so many
different places come into our town.  Anita is missed
greatly in this community and by the Freedom Fest
Committee.

2001

Gary Magner
Kansas

Gary was a Korean and Vietnam veteran and was very active
in veterans groups in Kansas.  He was also always here at
Freedom Fest to help.  When we had The Moving Wall here,
he would come for the entire week to lend a helping hand.  
Gary was at Freedom Fest last year even though his health
was rapidly deteriorating.  He is greatly missed by the veteran
community.



Daisy Wetzel
Bayard, Iowa

Daisy was a very familiar face at the early Freedom Fests.  
She was not only the wife of a World War II veteran, but also
the mother of four members of the band Festival.  Daisy was
a registered nurse and spent her entire life helping people.  She
was active in the American Legion Auxiliary for most of her
life and held many offices on local and county levels.  Daisy's
determination to fight the odds and willingness to always be
there for those in need are missed by many.

Skip Kepka
Skidmore, Missouri

Edward "Skip" Kepka, a Vietnam veteran, and his wife Karen,
also a veteran, were very active in the veteran community for
many years.  After moving to Skidmore, both participated in
Freedom Fest for many years and, for a short time, Skip served
as co-chairman.  You could always count on Skip to lend a
helping hand. He always had a smile on his face and was
always willing to help people.  While in Chicago over the
holidays, Skip was killed in an auto accident.  His big wave and
smile are missed very much.

Jerry Gilmore
Georgia

Jerry traveled all over the United States to different veterans
reunions as a vendor, selling veteran-related merchandise for
all veterans.  As a Vietnam veteran, he understood the need to
welcome all veterans home.  He was only able to participate in
one Freedom Fest before cancer took his health and eventually
his life.  Jerry was always a friendly face for the veterans to
see and always took the opportunity to say hi and ask how is it
going. He also listened to the reply.  Many people miss Jerry's
friendly face at the reunions and we do too.

2000

John Hafner
May 12, 1961 - August 16, 2000
Wolf Point, Montana

John Hafner grew up in South Dakota.  In 1981, he joined Britt
Small & Festival as a bus driver and later became the bari-sax
player.  He spent the next dozen years performing and getting the
band where it needed to be, becoming an important part of the
success of the group.  John was at the dedication of The Wall in
Washington, DC in 1982 and played in front of the US Capitol
when Sammy Davis delivered his famous "Freedom Now"
speech.  He performed for thousands of veterans across the
country, at concerts, schools, memorials, hospitals and prisons.  
He played in front of the Lincoln Memorial many times and could
tell you exactly how many steps were between the reflecting pool
and the street because he carried the equipment up and down
them as many times.  

On September 8, 1991 John married Shelly Chesnut from
Skidmore, where they lived for several years.  He eventually left
the road due to back problems and decided to go to college.  He
attended NWMSU initially and then moved to Kansas City to
attend chiropractic school.  During this time, John and Shelly
started a beautiful family.  After graduation, they set their eyes on
Montana.  John had always wanted to be a cowboy and this was
his chance to live it.  They moved to Wolf Point where he
opened his own clinic.  Anyone who ever had John work on
them knew he was very good at what he did.

John loved his life, he loved his family and he loved what he was
doing.  He said, just days before he died, that his life was perfect.
 He was living the life he had alway wanted to live.  He gave
many years of his life making people happy.  Whether it was the
music he played, the bodies he made feel better, or just the smile
he spread from his face to others, he had a special way of
making people feel like they mattered, whether a patient or a
friend.  John left this world a better place and he is sadly missed
by his family, his friends and all who knew him.

1999

Adelle Jones
Skidmore, Missouri

Adelle Jones was the only Gold Star mother from Sam R. Albright American Legion Post #411, Skidmore.  She was also the
first visitor to the Moving Wall when it made it's first appearance in Skidmore in 1996.  Adelle came to The Wall to find the
name of her son, John Ora Jones, Jr.  When visiting The Wall she said she felt her son had finally come home. Although she
never got over missing him, she never questioned his sacrifice for God and country.  She did question the government's
treatment of the men and women who served.  Adelle always carried a special place in her heart for any soldier and would talk
to them as long as they wanted.

Her Second son, Thomas R. Jones, continued to serve his country until he retired from the Air Force as a Master Sergeant.  
Even though he could have stayed out, being the only surviving son, he too served in Vietnam.

During Freedom Fest '98 the Freedom Fest Committee along with Khe Sahn Vets presented Adelle with a granite disk from
The Wall in Washington, DC, inscribed with Johnny's name, panel and line number.

Adelle "went home" April 1st, 1999.  We have no doubt that she is rocking tiny angels, telling them stories, and sharing the
love she shared with all of us whom she left behind.

1998

Dr. Dwain E. Small
Lakeland, Florida

Dr. Dwain E. Small died on Veterans Day, November 11, 1997
in Lakeland, Florida.  The father of Britt, Tom and Dave Small,
and husband of Marilyn.  Dr. Small was a college math
professor and baseball coach at many prestigious universities
and wrote an entire series of math texts.  In 1970, Dr. Small
came to Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville where he
was the Dean of the Faculty and charged with the responsibility
of taking the college to university status.  He did that and in
1972 became the first Vice-president of Academic Affairs at
Northwest Missouri State University.  He retired in Florida in
1983.  

Dr. Small was born in Shelbyville, Indiana, in 1923.  He enlisted
in the US Army after Pearl Harbor and served in both the
European and Pacific theaters during World War II.  He was a
member of the Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, Phi Delta
Kappa fraternity, the American Legion and the Disabled
American Veterans.  Dr. Small was buried in Bartow, Florida on
December 27, with the burial detail provided by American
Legion Post 3 from Bartow.  Britt acted as Commander for the
ceremony, while the grandchildren held the flag over the urn.  
At the end of the ceremony, the flag was folded by Britt and his
son, Marty, and the flag was presented to Mrs. Small by Britt.

Dr. Small was a long-time inspiration and mentor to the Festival
Family and a guiding light to the patriotism of FESTIVAL.  His
presence was always with them when they stood in the face of
adversity for what was right in America.  His spirit lives on in
the heart of Freedom Fest and he is greatly missed by all that
knew him.

Zipp Renshaw
Maryville, Missouri

Maryville business woman and entrepreneur Zipp Renshaw
died on July 4, 1998 in Maryville at age 93.  Mrs. Renshaw
owned Zipp's Restaurant in Maryville and for several years
also had a supper club in the converted sale barn behind
her restaurant called The Stables.  During the summer of
1973, she provided The Stables for BRITT SMALL &
FESTIVAL to practice and hired them whenever she
could.  The group would practice from noon to midnight
and she would frequently go out to listen.  She is
affectionately called "Mama Zipp" by the members of the
band and very loved by the Festival Family.

In March 1998, she opened the Microtel and had BRITT
SMALL & FESTIVAL play for the opening and began to
hire them to play in the restaurant.  Mama Zipp played a
primary role in the early development of the band.  She
always stayed until the last note was played and she was
always complimentary and supportive, giving the group the
courage to reach for the top.  Mama Zipp will always live
in our hearts and the music of BRITT SMALL &
FESTIVAL.       

Gracie Hixon
Missouri

Gracie Hixon was killed during a robbery
where she worked.  Gracie believed in God
and Country and was a strong supporter of
Freedom Fest.  Once she started attending
she never missed one.  She asked for fliers
to be sent with her husband, Clyde, when
he was driving a truck over the road,
which put Freedom Fest fliers in many
states.  Gracie and her family attended as
many fund-raising functions as they could
and when they weren't able to attend they
sent donations.  Gracie was also a fan of
BRITT SMALL & FESTIVAL and
especially loved their patriotic music.  
Gracie will be missed at Freedom Fest.

1997

Charles Carter Jr.
Skidmore, Missouri

Charlie was an active member of Sam R.
Albright American Legion Post #411 here
is Skidmore.  He served in the Army in
Would War II.  Even though his health
declined over the past few years, he still
volunteered his time for the Skidmore
Punkin Show, the Skidmore Methodist
Church and the American Legion.  
Charlie very much enjoyed farming.  He
and his wife Evelyn made Skidmore their
home for the last 42 years.  Charlie
passed away this past year and his
presence is sadly missed by his fellow
Legion members, as well as the entire
community.

Chief Jim white Cloud Rhodd
Kansas

Chief Rhodd of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and
Nebraska was a legendary figure in the history of
Northwest Missouri.  Chief Rhodd was also a very
patriotic man who served in the military for four
years and lived a long life full of honor. During
Freedom Fest "96, Chief Rhodd represented the
Indian Nation and the warriors on The Wall by
consecrating the ground where it stood.  His
contribution to his fellow man will live long in the
hearts of those who knew him.  He is greatly missed.

Kenneth Wetzel
Bayard, Iowa

Kenneth was a veteran of World War II where he served
with the 1st Armored Division in Northern Africa and
Europe from 1941 to 1945.  He was a lifelong active
member of American Legion Post #44 in Bayard, Iowa.  
Ken's life always reflected his pride in his service and
dedication to his country.  Ken attended every Freedom
Fest that his health allowed.  Ken was also a principal
mentor and patriotic inspiration to the Festival Family.  
His legacy will live with us forever.

1996

Ken Hurner
Branson, Missouri

Ken Hurner was a 50 year member of the American Legion, after having served in World War II, and he was the impetus for the  
Skidmore Freedom Fest.  Ken asked Britt Small if there was a way to have a welcome home celebration in Skidmore, so that he
and his son Bill, a Vietnam veteran, could unite, and the Skidmore Freedom Fest was born.  Ken was a stalwart leader in the
Skidmore community, running the bank and being a driving force in several organizations.  Ken passed away in August 1995 and is
greatly missed.

Pete Ward
Skidmore, Missouri

Pete Ward was a 50 year member of the American
Legion, having served in World War II, where he
was awarded the Silver Star for valor for his
heroism during the Normandy Invasion.  Pete was
the most highly decorated veteran in the Skidmore
community, and he always led the Freedom Fest
Parade.  Pete passed away in January 1996, and
Freedom Fest won't be the same without him.

Bill McKenna
Georgia

Bill McKenna was a singer/songwriter who served with
the Marines in Vietnam and returned disabled.  Bill was
not only a fixture at veterans reunions around the
country, but he could always be counted on to be in
Washington D.C. to perform when he was needed.  Bill
performed many, many times with Britt Small & Festival,
and he had become a regular at the Skidmore Freedom
Fest.  Freedom Fest '95 was Bill's last public
performance.  He passed away in October 1995 in
Atlanta.  There will be a voice missing at Freedom Fest
'96.  We miss you Bill.