Veteran honored with unique quilt

SUN CITY – Though he served in two wars – World War Two and the Korean Conflict – Stan Hoff, N.21, doesn’t like to discuss his military experience. At least, not in great depth.

He divulges that he served as a bomber pilot and a communications officer during the second Great War and that he served as a communications officer in Germany during the Korean Conflict before taking a post at the Pentagon until his retirement in 1959: “They wouldn’t let me out earlier, because I was considered a ‘limited resource.’”

But beyond that, Hoff prefers not to discuss his past. But he does admit he’s proud of his history.

So too, are his neighbors.

During the Sun City resident’s recent 90th birthday party, his neighbors rewarded his rich history with a Quilt of Valor.

“I had no idea this was going to happen. I had never been honored in that kind of way. I was on the honor flight a couple of years ago and that was also very surprising and exciting to me, but this was something much more. I didn’t expect it; it was a huge surprise. I was very honored by the presentation; it’s a beautiful thing,” Hoff said, adding he knows where he is going to use the quilt – either on his bed or chairs or “wherever I’ll need something to cover up.”

Sue Bruss, a co-chair of the Gazebo Quilters in Huntley, which is affiliated with the Quilts of Valor Foundation, helped create and present the quilt to Hoff.

She said the group first became involved with the organization around two years ago and have since made close to 300 quilts for the foundation: “We haven’t kept an exact numerical count, so I’m not sure,” she said.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003, when Catherine Roberts had a “desire to see that returning warriors were welcomed home with the love and gratitude they deserved,” according to a statement on the foundation’s website. Roberts’ son had just been deployed to a year-long tour in Iraq, which provided the initial inspiration.

In the 10 years since the foundation was created, close to 82,000 quilts have been made and presented to U.S. servicemen and women. The presentations were first geared to veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, but quickly spread to incorporate Vietnam and Korea.

“Now, we pretty much target anyone we can locate. We have about 35 women who work on this all the time, but we only meet officially about once a month. We go wherever we’re needed; we’ve provided quilts to people as young as 19 and as old as 90 – both male and female. We just seek them out and hope people will ask us to make these quilts,” Bruss said.

Their service essentially works through word-of-mouth, though Bruss said any individual interested in making a quilt themselves can purchase a kit through the group.

Each quilt made is unique, but the reaction is generally the same – something Bruss said she is proud of.

“For some of these guys, this is the first ‘thank you’ they’ve ever gotten. Especially our vets from Vietnam. When they returned home, people spit at them. There was one guy who said he was waiting 45 years for a hug, and we were happy to give him one. The reaction  alone from one guy gives me enough joy to make 10 more,” Bruss said.

Bruss also comes from a family of servicemen. Her husband, son, and grandson have all served in the military.

“I feel very blessed that this is the part I can do,” she said. “It’s amazing. It’s amazing.”

Bruss said the group is always open to fielding more requests and all that someone has to do is contact her or co-chair Jan Meyer.

• To best reach Bruss, call (847) 961- 5157 or e-mail sdbcopper@aol.com

---