Loren N. Spickert, Pittsburg, Kan.
March 11, 2008 4:14 PM
Loren Neal Spickert, 89, of Pittsburg, Kan., died Monday, March 10, 2008, at Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg.
He was born Aug. 18, 1918, in Warsaw, a son of George and Lula Turner Spickert. On June 19, 1943, he was married to Opal Arvilla Frakes, who died Jan. 10, 2008.
He lived in Green Ridge. Due to hardships in the 1930s, he was only able to complete the eighth grade, before farming became a necessity. He was a master farmer, accomplished electrician and self-taught carpenter, plumber and mechanic. He was able to purchase on contract and then operate a highly successful half section family farm. He was well known in Crawford County for soil erosion control endeavors and for the excellent quality of his livestock, poultry, mixed crops and garden produce.
As a farmer, he could have avoided the military draft during World War II. He elected not to do so. The battalion he was in was stationed in several places on the West Coast. He did training at Fort Polk, La., before being shipped to Europe in 1944. His battalion served as a non-divisional self-propelled artillery unit, firing in support wherever additional combat strength was needed. His specialty was telephone wireman in a forward observer party.
The battalion initially supported the 99th Division’s combat operations, and thus took an active part in the fighting in France and Belgium. His outfit was among the first to storm across the Remagen Railroad Bridge over the Rhine River, the only span still standing at the time which allowed access into the heart of Nazi Germany. The battalion then participated in combat in the Rhur Pocket. In the closing days of the war, the battalion was attached to a military police group with Patton’s Army. It was given the task to help secure thousands of Germany Army prisoners of war in southern Germany. While doing this mission, the fighting in Europe ended.
His unit was then shipped to Fort Hood, Texas, to train for the invasion of Japan. He was in central Texas, when the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski took place. He was honorably discharged as a corporal and awarded several medals. He returned to Kansas. A few years ago, he received a certificate from the United States government marking the fact that his military service in Europe also included the opening days of the Cold War.
After several decades of farming in south central Crawford County, he retired in 1996. He bought a home near Lakeside Park in Pittsburg, Kan. He and his wife traveled throughout the United States, Mexico and the Republic of Korea. He enjoyed attending bluegrass concerts and attended several in a four-state region. In the summer of 2006, he moved to an apartment in Fort Scott, Kan., and last year moved to Sunset Manor in Frontenac, Kan.
Surviving are a daughter, Lorella Fulton, and her husband, Rick, of Pittsburg; and two grandsons, Shawn Patrick Spickert-Fulton, of Morris Plains, N.H., and Travis Ryan Spickert-Fulton, of Pittsburg.
He was predeceased by a sister, Thelma Bianchi.
Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Girard City Cemetery in Girard, Kan., with the Rev. James Walls officiating. The family will receive friends before the services. Condolences may be sent online at www.brennermortuary.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brenner Mortuary in Pittsburg.
He was born Aug. 18, 1918, in Warsaw, a son of George and Lula Turner Spickert. On June 19, 1943, he was married to Opal Arvilla Frakes, who died Jan. 10, 2008.
He lived in Green Ridge. Due to hardships in the 1930s, he was only able to complete the eighth grade, before farming became a necessity. He was a master farmer, accomplished electrician and self-taught carpenter, plumber and mechanic. He was able to purchase on contract and then operate a highly successful half section family farm. He was well known in Crawford County for soil erosion control endeavors and for the excellent quality of his livestock, poultry, mixed crops and garden produce.
As a farmer, he could have avoided the military draft during World War II. He elected not to do so. The battalion he was in was stationed in several places on the West Coast. He did training at Fort Polk, La., before being shipped to Europe in 1944. His battalion served as a non-divisional self-propelled artillery unit, firing in support wherever additional combat strength was needed. His specialty was telephone wireman in a forward observer party.
The battalion initially supported the 99th Division’s combat operations, and thus took an active part in the fighting in France and Belgium. His outfit was among the first to storm across the Remagen Railroad Bridge over the Rhine River, the only span still standing at the time which allowed access into the heart of Nazi Germany. The battalion then participated in combat in the Rhur Pocket. In the closing days of the war, the battalion was attached to a military police group with Patton’s Army. It was given the task to help secure thousands of Germany Army prisoners of war in southern Germany. While doing this mission, the fighting in Europe ended.
His unit was then shipped to Fort Hood, Texas, to train for the invasion of Japan. He was in central Texas, when the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski took place. He was honorably discharged as a corporal and awarded several medals. He returned to Kansas. A few years ago, he received a certificate from the United States government marking the fact that his military service in Europe also included the opening days of the Cold War.
After several decades of farming in south central Crawford County, he retired in 1996. He bought a home near Lakeside Park in Pittsburg, Kan. He and his wife traveled throughout the United States, Mexico and the Republic of Korea. He enjoyed attending bluegrass concerts and attended several in a four-state region. In the summer of 2006, he moved to an apartment in Fort Scott, Kan., and last year moved to Sunset Manor in Frontenac, Kan.
Surviving are a daughter, Lorella Fulton, and her husband, Rick, of Pittsburg; and two grandsons, Shawn Patrick Spickert-Fulton, of Morris Plains, N.H., and Travis Ryan Spickert-Fulton, of Pittsburg.
He was predeceased by a sister, Thelma Bianchi.
Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Girard City Cemetery in Girard, Kan., with the Rev. James Walls officiating. The family will receive friends before the services. Condolences may be sent online at www.brennermortuary.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brenner Mortuary in Pittsburg.
