By Penny Leuthard, Staff Writer

 

Clearwater resident Darwin “Doc” Gohman was named the 2018 Clearwater Heritage Days Grand Marshal, an honor bestowed on him for his years-long commitment to serving the community.

 

A life-long resident of Clearwater, Gohman joined the Navy in 1955 and was stationed for two years in Japan and two years in Alabama. In 1960, he was hired as a machinist welder at NSP in Becker, where he worked until his retirement in 1995.

 

Married to his wife, Jane, in 1960, the couple had three children, Janet, Mike and Kay. He and his wife are still members of St. Luke’s Catholic Church where Gohman was baptized as a baby.

 

Along with his career at NSP, Gohman also raised livestock on the family’s Clearwater farm until 2012; he still keeps chickens and a couple steers.

 

When he was three, his Dad gave him an orphaned calf to raise, which, along with his habit of rescuing and caring for injured animals, earned him the nickname Doc.

 

As an adult, Gohman went from helping animals to helping people. He joined both the Clearwater Lions and the Clearwater American Legion, and has served the community in numerous ways through both organizations.

 

As a Lion member, Gohman has worked with Camp Friendship throughout the 30-year partnership the organizations have had. The Clearwater Lions “adopted” the camp’s arts and crafts building, which they repair yearly and have completely remodeled over the years. 

 

Along with the arts and crafts building, the Lions have donated a lot of time and money into the entire camp, along with serving ice cream at the ice cream socials throughout the summer and grilling the steaks at the camp’s annual steak fry. 

 

Gohman has also been the Lion’s mint chairman, presents scholarships to Annandale and Tech High School students, and has been part of the Lion’s group that golfs at the Clearwater Truck Plaza breast cancer fundraiser and the Clearview Cougar Classic fundraiser each year.

 

Because of all his volunteer work, Gohman was chosen to receive the Melvin Jones Fellowship award, an international award that is the highest form of recognition a Lion can receive.

 

As a member of the Clearwater Legion, which he joined in 1964, Gohman has been sergeant at arms since 1974 and is in charge of the firing squad, organizing and lining up members for Memorial Day and funeral appearances.

 

He’s part of the group that sets up the flags at the St. Cloud VA hospital for Veteran’s Day as well as attending Clearview Elementary School’s Veteran’s Day event. For years he cooked eggs and pancakes at the Sunday Legion breakfasts as well as cooking at other events.

 

For over 20 years Gohman worked “undercover” as Santa Claus for local organizations and events, including delivering Toys for Tots and holiday meals in the red suit. If requested, Jane would come along as Mrs. Claus. 

He was also the only male member of the Hoot-n-Nanny Clown Band for over 10 years, playing drum with a metal bucket for nursing homes, church groups and parties. 

 

Just last summer Gohman worked on “The Dog House” at Eagles Healing Nest, a new facility offered by the organization for veterans who have pets and who help train and house dogs for other veterans. As a Lion member, he helped redecorate one of the bedrooms in the building, and as a Legion member he helped redecorate two.

 

“I never expected anything like this,” Gohman said of being named grand marshal. “Gosh, that’s a hell of an honor.”

 

This isn’t the first time Gohman has been honored by the community for his service. Around 10 years ago he and Jane were named Clearwater Heritage Days King and Queen.