Take A Moment
To Thank A Veteran
When you see someone in a uniform, someone who serves us all. Doing military duty, answering their country’s call.
Take a moment to thank them, for protecting what you hold dear.
Tell them you are proud of them, make it very clear.
Just tap them on the shoulder, give a smile and say,
“Thanks for what you’re doing to keep us safe in the USA!”
By Joanna Fuchs

Memorial Day weekend is creeping up on us. Next weekend, my siblings and I will be placing flowers on our loved ones graves. Due to COVID, people are not allowed to attend the annual Memorial Day service at the cemetery as we usually do. That doesn’t mean we won’t be thinking about the sacrifice of veterans who have served our country.

Growing up, my family formed a friendship with Harry and Judy Peterson and their family. We were neighbors and attended church together.

The Petersons were industrious folks and stellar neighbors.

Harry worked in law enforcement and Judy was our Home Ec teacher at Becker Schools. The family also grew and sold Christmas trees on their property.

My family has rented farm land from the Peterson family to raise crops since the 1970’s.

Harry and Judy Peterson began tree farming in 1956 in Becker and Orrock, MN. Their daughters and son helped with the family business from a young age. After the Orrock farm was made into a refuge, the Christmas tree farm was consolidated and moved to Becker.

The Peterson daughters eventually married and moved out of state, but Judy and Harry’s son, Lee Peterson, continued the family farming tradition and operates Lee’s Tree Farm.

After Harry passed away, Lee and his wife (Judy) kept the farm active and expanded to include an apple orchard. Linda Hoffman (the oldest daughter) and her husband, a retired U. S. Army Special Forces veteran, asked to dedicate the fence surrounding the newly planted apple orchard, to the fallen soldiers of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as a remembrance to their ultimate sacrifice.

Marks service included Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mark and Linda’s son served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After Judy’s passing, Lee took over all family farming responsibilities and continued Judy and Harry Peterson’s farming legacy and the Peterson family worked hard to establish a memorial in honor of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans on the property located 10 minutes north of Becker near the intersection of County Roads 16 and 23.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Memorial is located around the fence of the apple orchard north of Becker owned by Linda’s brother, Lee Peterson.

The Memorial, currently in creation stages, will include a personalized dog tag for every fallen U.S. soldier killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The tags are being handmade by veterans and each tag includes the name of a soldier, his or her branch served, age at death, war of service, and date of death.

Mark and his son have lost friends and comrades in the wars, so honoring the fallen soldiers seemed natural. Out of higher respect for the soldiers’ sacrifice, only veterans stamp each tag one letter and number at a time.

Because of the length of time to create each tag (more than 10 minutes per tag), the task is slow but the Memorial is hoped to be completed in the next three to four years. The Memorial currently has 23 states completed through 2017, including Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit has been established to accept financial contributions for the Memorial: IraqAfghanVeteranMemorialMN.org. In addition, volunteer vets are being sought to assist in stamping of tags to help complete the Memorial more quickly.

Although a great deal of work has been done already, the memorial is still in need of volunteers and financial contributions to continue the project. Volunteer veterans are being sought to assist in stamping of tags to help complete the Memorial more quickly.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Memorial will be open on Memorial Day from 10am to 4pm (GPS 5968 149th Ave, Becker).The Veterans Memorial is not regularly open to the public; however, appointments to visit or anyone who wants to volunteer can call Linda or Mark Hoffmann at 802-473-0144.

More information about the Veterans Memorial can be found at IraqAfghanVeteranMemorialMN.org.