Honoring Veterans: Four local veterans receive quilts of honor

Lomand Fowler
Lom joined the National Guard in the summer of 1953 when he was 18, right after high school. He served for eight years, then re-enlisted in 1976 and retired in 1990 after a total of 22 years. After high school he went to mechanic school in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Lom worked in road construction during the time he served, and after his time served. He later got a job working on the equipment in the shop, instead of traveling all the time. Lom married his beautiful wife, Lorna, in 1960. Together they have four children, Coleen, Matt, Steven and Ben. They now have eight grandchildren that they love so much.

Carl Hensley
Carl was drafted to the Navy in 1972 at age 18. He started his service in 1973 when he was 19. He spent a total of four years in the Navy. Carl was a gunner’s mate and served on board the USS Okinawa in Vietnam. Though it no longer exists, Carl was born in Stansbury, Wyoming. This small coal miner town was in Sweetwater County. When the mine closed, his parents moved to Byron, then to Littleton, Colorado. That is where he was drafted from. When  he was done serving in the Navy, Carl went back to Colorado until 1992 when he moved to Torrington to care for his mother until her passing. After that, he moved to Lovell in 2011. Carl was an electrician until he retired in 2017.

Garrett Despain
Garrett was in the Army National Guard for 21 years. He joined in 1962 and served six years, then was out for 10 years and re-enlisted in 1978 for 15 years. He was mostly stationed in Lovell, but did go to Canada, Idaho and Utah throughout the years. Garrett joined the Army National Guard when he was 21 years old. In 1969 he married his lovely wife, Carolyn. They made Lovell their home and had three children. They now have six grandchildren. Garrett ran his own business in Lovell called City Supply for many years. Now they are both enjoying retirement.

Richard Morrison
Richard was drafted into the Army at age 24. He served from February 1969 to November 1970. Serving for almost two years, Richard was able to get out early so he could finish college. He was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Richard was never married, but he graduated from Brigham Young University and then went to dental school and graduated from Loyola University in Chicago. After that, he lived in Scobey, Billings and Laurel, Montana, before moving back home to Lovell in 2011. Richard takes great pride in being an uncle to 100 nieces and nephews. He also takes pride and loves to decorate the outside of his house for Christmas.