Winneshiek County Veterans Memorial
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  • 2024 Pending Veteran Engraving

Winneshiek Veterans Memorial

Their Service. Their Sacrifice. Never Forgotten.
Learn More
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Matt Burkey, DDBA President presents the
2023 Decorah Business Recognition to Glenn Larson & Ray Koshatka, members of the
Winneshiek County Veterans Memorial Association

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Attention all Veterans, Families, and Friends
The deadline for submission of names has passed for our initial stone engraving.
Please continue to submit names of all veterans who have lived in Winneshiek County at some point in their lives and are not already identified on our current veteran listing.  As names come in, we will try to squeeze them in, but timing is everything as we go to press.  All names that don't make it will be engraved next year and appear on the page "2024 Pending Veteran Engraving". 
Thank you and God Bless the USA!

Discover the Memorial

This memorial is not to honor war, but to show the price of peace lest future generations forget the sacrifices made to maintain freedom.

PictureDecorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski and Veteran Glenn Larson broke ground for the project on September 28th, 2021
Sadly, there is only a small memorial just outside the Winneshiek Courthouse,
​little known to residents and virtually unknown the rest of the state.

Prominent memorials around Iowa have proudly displayed engravings to honor their local veterans.
Here in Winneshiek county, few of us even know the current monument exists.


Men and women throughout Winneshiek County have answered the call to defend our liberties.
​Many putting their lives on hold and too many, never returning to pick them back up. 


A faded monument is all that exists to acknowledge and honor their service.

The Winneshiek County Veterans Memorial Association is changing this. ​

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A large crowd of over 50 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony on September 28th, 2021.
PictureLeft to Right: Collin White, Peggy Lensing, Maureen Yahr, Zach Row-Heyveld, Jessica Rediske, Glenn Larson, Ray Seiler, Tade Kerndt, Roxanne Schnitzler.
​Red-Roxy Quilt Co. recently hosted a Charity Quilt Sale featuring more than 200 quilts that have previously been displayed on the sales floor. Items included everything from table runners to full size projects in a variety of colors and
themes. The ​Winneshiek County Veterans Memorial Association received a donation of $1,635 from this event.

WCVM Rendering
Proposed Memorial - Lewiston Monument Company

With the support and coordination of the City of Decorah Park and Recreation, the WCVM will be building a memorial to honor each known Winneshiek County Veteran. This memorial will be located at the Mary Christopher Park  - intersection of E Water St and First St in Decorah, Iowa.
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LEARN MORE
We have gravestones scattered in Phelps Park and the names will soon be faded away. This project began because we realized we didn’t have a way to remember those in our area that sacrificed for our freedom.  
​- GLENN LARSON
I'd be surprised if ten percent of area residents could find the current memorial. It is small and not easily accessible. After touring other area memorials, we found ours to be the saddest in the area, maybe the entire state. 
​- MARK STOCKDALE
 
True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost. 
​- ARTHUR ASHE

Remembering Winneshiek Veterans

"Bullets whistled about us like hail, hitting the boat and spattering all around."
- Luman L. Cadwell
READ THEIR STORIES
The Decorah Genealogy Association has already found thousands of names of Winneshiek County Veterans including:​
  • Thirteen soldiers from the War of 1812
  • A Medal of Honor recipient 
  • A U.S. Cavalry Soldier who died with Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn
If you know a Veteran that has lived in Winneshiek county, please click below to learn more about adding a name to the monuments.
Adding Veteran Names
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​Donate today.
Don't let their names fade. ​You can make a difference.
DONATE
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Dedicated to raising funds, designing, and maintaining the Winneshiek County Veterans Park to honor those who have served in the armed forces from Winneshiek County, Iowa.
 © COPYRIGHT 2021 Winneshiek Veterans Memorial Association.
​Registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization in the State of Iowa.

  • Home
  • Memorial
  • Adding Veteran Names
  • Stories
  • About
  • Donations
  • CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS
  • CURRENT VETERAN LISTING BY ERA
  • PENDING VETERAN LISTING - NEED VERIFICATION
  • 2024 Pending Veteran Engraving