'A gift from God': World War II Veteran to mark 100th birthday
Leroy Stoehr is turning 100 on Friday, March 17. And he’s not sure how he got here.
“I don’t know how the hell I made it to 100,” the U.S. Marine Corps Veteran of World War II joked. “I can’t believe it!”
Reflecting for a bit, Stoehr said there’s no secret to his longevity.
“To put it mildly, it’s a gift from God,” he said, noting he has survived cancer and a heart condition. “All my buddies are gone. My friends are gone. I have more creaks and groans than I’ve ever had in my life. But it’s normal.”
Jamiee Green, a Milwaukee VA nurse who is part of the team that regularly checks on Stoehr at his assisted living facility in Burlington, said Stoehr is excited — and a little anxious — about the big day.
“He says it’s a little bit of mental overload,” she said, noting Stoehr is “a gentle soul.”
“He’s such a gem,” she said. “He has definitely pulled at my heartstrings in a way no other Veteran has. He’s just such a nice guy.”
“I try to keep my sense of humor,” Stoehr said, adding that he is thankful for the care he receives through the Milwaukee VA.
“They are all wonderful people,” he said. “They’ll come out immediately if you need them. It’s remarkable. You look forward to seeing them. They check on you. They really watch over you. I have nothing but the best to say for the VA.”
A lifelong resident of the Burlington area, Stoehr was born March 17, 1923, in the little town of Lyons.
When Uncle Sam called his name to join the war effort in March 1943, Stoehr was initially headed for the Army. But Marine recruiters — looking spiffy in their dress uniforms, Stoehr said — had a pitch Stoehr and a buddy from Burlington couldn’t refuse.
“They said, ‘We leave for sunny San Diego tonight.’” Stoehr said.
One look outside at the snow made the decision easy.
In California, Stoehr ended up with a photography group at Camp Pendleton, making training films, though he had no experience with a camera. Leave time typically meant heading to Los Angeles and soaking up the Hollywood night life.
He was deployed to the South Pacific in the spring of 1945, taking part in the Battle of Okinawa, considered the last major battle of the war.
“Okinawa was a son of a gun,” he said, remembering picking up the survivors from ships sunk by the Japanese.
Stoehr said he was lucky not to be on the front lines for the assault; instead he was assigned to protect the Americans’ water supply, as there had been reports of the Japanese poisoning water.
He recalled heavy artillery fire and feeling endangered but said he had the bravery of youth.
“When you’re 22 or 23, you don’t think of that as much,” he said. “Plus, you had your buddies there, and you were well-trained with your rifle.”
After the bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered, Stoehr was sent to Tientsin (aka Tianjin), China, where he remembers the Chinese people celebrating the Americans’ arrival and hailing them as heroes.
“Oh, were they happy to see us,” he said.
He was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned to Burlington, where he resumed working for Burlington Brassworks, eventually becoming sales manager. He continued working sales until his retirement at age 65. But he continued to work, serving as a bank courier until he was 79.
He met his wife of 72 years, Joyce, in 1946. She was the sister of one of his buddies, and it was during a group outing that he realized she was the one.
“In those days you could get a 10-cent beer,” he said. “I said, ‘If I ever meet a girl who will drink a 10-cent beer, I’m going to marry her.’ She turned around and drank a 10-cent beer. The next night I called her up for a date.”
They married in 1947. The couple had five children and lived out their days in Burlington.
“It was a good marriage,” he said. “We never had a severe argument. She was pretty dependent on me, and I depended on her. She was a great gal.” Joyce died about three years ago.
“We were never rich people, but we had everything we wanted,” he said. “It has been a good life.”
A birthday celebration with cake and ice cream is planned for Friday, and all of Stoehr’s family will be there.
Stoehr said he’s looking forward to it — and keeping his sense of humor about all the commotion.
“People are so kind to you when they find out you are that old,” he said with a grin.