Veterans Way Honorees

1965-1968 Grace Lilleg Moore was born in Dewar, IA and was the lady speaker on Memorial Day in Washington DC. 1963. She graduated from Columbus High School in 1966 and was a graduate of St Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Ottumwa, Iowa.. After joining the Army Student Nurse Program in 1965 she started active duty in January 1966. Her basic training was a Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. She served at Reynolds Army Hospital, Ft Sill, Oklahoma; and the 12th Evacuation Hospital, CuChi, Vietnam in 1968. Moore was the Pennsylvania State Coordinator for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project, the Veterans Day speaker at the Memorial in Washington, DC on November 11, 2021, a life member of VVA and VFW. She was awarded the Army Commendation medal for Vietnam service, and has been featured by the Grout Museum and on Remembering Vietnam on Iowa Public TV.

1942-1945 Howard (Skeeter) Nielsen served in the U.S. Army’s 34th Div – Red Bull, During WWII April 7th 1942 – November 9th 1945 as an anti-tank gunner. After the war he made Waterloo his home and was employed and retired from the Rath Packing Company.

1967-1973 Sam Nielsen grew up in Waterloo and attended East High School. He joined the Navy in 1967 and served as 3rd Class Petty Officer in Vietnam on a gasoline tanker. They ran jet fuel and aviation fuel from Da Nang to Cua Viet and Chu Lai! He also served as a USNR in Vietnam from 1968-1970. Nielsen received 8 ribbons and 5 medals and was discharged in 1973.

2 Years William Parker Sr. was born on April 30, 1929 in Downers Grove, IL and eventually came to live in Waterloo, IA. He served on the aircraft carrier Mindoro CVE-120. He passed away on December 5, 2023.

1950-1952 Born May 1, 1927, Terry Peck grew up near Garner, IA. Terry entered the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict on October 10, 1950 and was stationed in San Francisco, CA. He was honorably discharged October 20, 1952. Terry married Pearl Milligan and raised 9 children in Waverly, IA. After service, Terry worked for John Deere where he eventually bought the Waverly dealership in 1966. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly, the Vice President of the Iowa Nebraska Farm Equipment Association, a board member of the First National Bank of Waverly, and a member of the Waverly Chamber of Commerce. He passed away November 30, 1985 at 58 years old.

1945-1947 Leo grew up in Ryan, Iowa. He joined the Navy in 1945. Upon discharge he attended Loras College. Leo moved to Waterloo to start a small business. He married Rosella Markovetz and they raised 10 children in the Highland Neighborhood. Leo retired from John Deere as an accountant in 1984. Leo and Rosella were lifetime members of St. John’s Catholic Church.

1952-1954 James Allen Roberts was born in Dunkerton on a 109-acre farm; early education was in Dunkerton. He graduated from East High School and then Brown University with a degree in Accounting. He served two years, April 1952 to April 1954, deployed to Korea where he was wounded (Purple Heart). He was a musician and played in a band he helped form. He is buried at the Garden of Memories Cemetery.

William G. Sizer served three tours with the United States Army and Airforce from 1946 to 1947 and from January 1951 to November 1952. While in Korea, he helped to survey airstrips. When he returned home, he continued serving with veterans for decades by compiling the list of veterans who died each year, organizing the placing of flags at cemeteries in Waterloo and serving as Master of Ceremonies during Memorial Day Observances. He was the manager for the American Legion baseball team, served as Chaplain, helped place flags in downtown Waterloo, and drove young men to Boy’s State each year. He represented the local area and the state at numerous state and national American Legion meetings and conventions.