Four generations honored at Lincolnville
Staff writer
For the first time, four generations of one family have been members of Gilbert-Poppe Legion Post in Lincolnville, according to post commander Duane Dittman. They were recognized at Monday’s Memorial Day service.
The youngest of the four is Braden Pagenkopf, who recently returned from a deployment with the National Guard to Kuwait and Iraq. Steve Steger is Braden’s father-in-law; Phil Smith is his grandfather; and the late Lloyd Pagenkopf was his great-grandfather.
Lloyd Pagenkopf served in World War II and died in 2010. Smith served in Vietnam, and Steger in the Middle East. The three surviving Legion members served in the honor guard at Monday’s service.
Dittman led the service, and Pastor Alan Stahlecker spoke. The honor guard provided a gun salute, and Adam Makovec played “Taps.”
Attendees joined in singing “God Bless America,” and “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.”