Veterans Way Honorees

Richard served in the US Army from June 1942 to December 1945 (3 1/2 years) during WWII. He reported to Camp Dodge, Des Moines, in June 1942, and after basic training, he was assigned to the Personnel Records Department and trained at IBM Key Punch School in Washington, DC. In April 1944, he was transferred to a keypunch unit at Base Air Depot #1, Warrington, England, and arrived there May 1. This unit was responsible for the morning reports from all over the European Theater of Operations. After Japan surrendered in 1945, Richard was sent to London to work on a roster of men eligible for discharge. Richard was honorably discharged and returned home in December 1945. He received the Service Stripe, Overseas Service Bars, American Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal and attained the rank of corporal. Richard was born in Waterloo in 1919 and lived most of his life there. He attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from East Waterloo High School in 1937. He was employed as an Industrial Engineer with Rath Packing Company, retiring in 1984. He served as secretary/treasurer of the St. Vincent DePaul Society. He and his wife Julia were married for 72 years and raised fourteen children, nine sons, and five daughters, all born in either Independence or Waterloo. He thoroughly enjoyed his life and his large family and always wore a smile

William served in the US Navy for two years. He was born, raised, and educated in Waterloo. William worked at Rath Packing Company, had 12 siblings, and raised seven children. He was known as hardworking and enjoyed his children and 12 grandchildren. He also enjoyed gardening.

Wayne served in the US Army from 1964 to 1970. He completed his basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, and advanced training at the Crypto Repair school in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. Wayne then attended Infantry Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Wayne has been very active in the community. Through his business, Magee Construction, he helped design and build a smart home for the Gary Sinise Foundation, which builds smart homes for disabled veterans. Wayne also helped build a new shelter in Veterans Park. Since he was seven years old, he has been visiting Cemeteries in the Dunkerton area on Memorial Day, placing poppies on the veterans’ gravesites. Wayne was born in Keokuk and raised in Dunkerton. He resides in Cedar Falls.

Eugene served in the US Army for four years with the 1700th Engineer Combat Battalion during World War II. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant 1st Class. During the War, he married his high school sweetheart, Marynette ‘Mina’ Roberts. After leaving the Service, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he owned a successful accounting agency and became the 1st African American member of the Tulsa School Board. He also was Executive Director of Moton Memorial Hospital in Tulsa until his death in 1978.” Eugene was raised in Waterloo, where he attended school.

Tom joined the US Navy after high school and, during the Vietnam War, served as a Damage Control Officer on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1968 and 1969. He was honorably discharged in 1972. After finishing his service on the Hornet, Tom returned to Waterloo, married, built his first home at age 24, and raised two children. He started his own business—Lown Construction and Woodworks—as a home builder and maker of anything wood, including furniture, cabinets, and casework. He had a contract to build shipping containers for the local Marine detachment, which were used when they deployed for Operation Desert Storm. He later worked as a Quality Control Supervisor for Omega Cabinet Company in Waterloo. Following that, he spent seventeen years as an estimating, design, and project manager for Magee Construction in Cedar Falls. He retired from that position in 2006. Shortly after retirement, Tom answered the call to serve as Construction Manager for Habitat for Humanity in Waterloo. He then received the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award for his work as a Volunteer Construction Estimator for the distribution of FEMA funds in the Cedar Valley following the 2008 flood. Tom was born in Independence, and was almost a lifelong resident of Waterloo, and graduated from Columbus High School in 1966. Sailing his 20-foot sailboat is Tom’s fun…but he’s been so busy in “retirement” that it’s been twelve years since he’s had time to do it.

Richard Lown Served six enlisted military services in the US Marine Corps from October 1st, 1971, to September 30th, 1977. He served four years on active duty and two years in reserve service in a Transportation Battalion, Headquarters Company, Supply Administration, and Embarkation. Richard received an Achievement award for Mount Out preparatory assimilation and qualified as an Expert Rifleman. He was also awarded the National Defense Badge, three Meritorious Masts (which serve as a formal acknowledgment of exceptional performance or initiative by enlisted Marines), and the Good Conduct Medal. Richard served at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Camp Pendleton, California, and Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. His Foreign service totaled 13 months. Richard was Honorable Discharged with the rank of Sergeant E5. Richard was born in Independence, Iowa. His hometown was Waterloo until 1971. He lives in Festus, Missouri, and is a Real Estate Broker.

Bruce Walters served in the US Marine Corps from 1968 to 1970. He was a Marine Scout Sniper in the Seventh Marines, Based out of LC Baldy, a United States Marine Corps, Army, and ARVN base in central Vietnam south of Dang. Bruce was Born and raised in Waterloo and is a Current resident. He worked for John Deere and coached volleyball for 40 years. He has been married for 54 years to Carol Henze and has had three children. He enjoys a love of fishing.