The seeds for making quilts for veterans in Louisa County sprouted after Tina Chaleki stopped by a booth selling Quilts of Valor kits in Virginia Beach and learned about the organization’s mission. She bought a kit. Several other Louisa Master Gardeners wanted to learn how to quilt, which led to working with Marie Farrell, who has been teaching classes in quilting at St. James Church in Louisa. Both Tina and Marie became members of Quilts of Valor and spearheaded efforts to involve more quilters in the project. Marie is one of the Master Gardeners – along with Tina, Regina Howell, and Barbara Kachinski – who have added sewing quilts to sowing seeds.

These locally-made quilts are intended for Louisa veterans, with the first going to veterans of WWII or the Korean conflict followed by Vietnam. On Veterans Day 2019, the women presented four quilts to area veterans, two in person at a ceremony and two delivered to homes. And the response has been heartwarming. Marie said she heard that one veteran in a nursing home slept with his quilt every night, and another stationed in Afghanistan took his with him when he was stationed there.

one veteran in a nursing home slept with his quilt every night, and another stationed in Afghanistan took his with him when he was stationed there.

Among those awarded quilts in 2019 is Louisa native George H. Marshall, now 95. George wrote about his WWII service in his first of two books, “The War Years, 1943-1945.” He was trained at Fort Eustis, Virginia, as a radio operator using Morse code and was sent to England where he joined the 633rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion Headquarters Battery. George risked his life in Europe and arrived at Buchenwald concentration camp when it was liberated. George said the quilt was a surprise gift from the ladies, and “I keep it in the family room.” George noted with pride that his wife Libby also makes prayer quilts through a different group at St. James.

Melvin Edwards, 87, is another Louisa veteran who was honored on Veterans Day 2019. It was an emotional day for Steven Summerville. Steven said that Mel “was not your typical veteran, as he volunteered for the Korean War. He did along with his two brothers and their father. He went into cooking training in Alabama. He didn’t say much about his time in the Army ever. I don’t know why.”

Lee Earl Mason Sr., almost 96, was the third veteran honored with a Quilt of Valor that day. A life member of VFW Post 8947, he served as coxswain in the U.S. Navy, Standard Landing Craft, Unit #34, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, from March 1944 to May 1946. He was part of the amphibious navy on Ulysses Atoll, where Admiral Chester Nimitz was preparing to stage a secret attack on Japan.

His son, Lt. Col. Myron Mason, said there aren’t many veterans left from that campaign. He said his father was very pleased and felt honored by the award of the quilt.

Articles