Four veterans received Quilts of Valor last week during the Nance County Fair. Rodney Russell, Russell Sprague, Chad Coon and Mike Frey were this year’s honored recipients. NCJ photos by Rick Holtz
Four veterans received Quilts of Valor last week during the Nance County Fair. Rodney Russell, Russell Sprague, Chad Coon and Mike Frey were this year’s honored recipients.
Rodney Russell presented by Daffney & Dillena Olson
Rodney Russell was born March 19, 1935. After high school he went to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for one year. He married Patsy on April 15, 1962. He joined the Army Reserves in 1954 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and also trained in Utah for a while. He was fortunate to not fight in any wars during his service. He retired in 1962 and now lives in Fullerton.
Russell Sprague presented by Delylla & Dayzie Kay Olson
Russell Sprague grew up in Fullerton, graduating in 1978. He joined the Air Force that June. He retired after 20 years of duty on July 1, 1998. During his 20 years of service, Russell served one year in Korea from 1984-1985. He served in France in the 1990s and served in Desert Storm. Throughout his air force career, he was a jet engine mechanic. In 2014, he married his wife, Debbie, and moved back to Fullerton where he resides today.
Chad Coon presented by Blakely Boryca
Chad Coon began his military journey in a way that many great adventures, unexpectedly.
One day, while walking through the mall with a friend, they noticed a recruiting booth for the Nebraska National Guard. The sign promised a signing bonus and 100 percent college tuition. His friend looked at him and said, “My family doesn’t have enough money to send me to college.” He smiled and replied, “Neither does mine. Let’s go see if it’s legit.”
That simple conversation changed the course of his life.
After graduating from high school in 2002, he reported to Fort Benning, Georgia, for Basic Combat Training. There, he learned what it truly meant to become a soldier. The days were long, the expectations were high, and the perfection was demanded. Endless road marches carrying a 60-pound pack and countless pushups quickly became part of everyday life.
One memory from basic training still makes him laugh. Running late for formation and trying to avoid extra punishment from the drill sergeant, he decided to skip the stairs and jump to the sidewalk. Unfortunately, he discovered that even Georgia gets icy. As he slipped through the air and landed flat on his back, his only thought was, “Who knew there was ice in Georgia?”
After basic training, he attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where he trained as a mechanic. While he enjoyed learning his trade, the South Carolina heat was something he never quite learned to appreciate.
In 2004, he deployed to the Middle East for his first overseas tour. For 12 months, he supported transportation united operating throughout Kuwait and Irq. As a mechanic, his mission was simple but vital: ensuring every vehicle was ready to leave the gate and, more importantly, ready to bring every soldier safely home.
Deployment wasn’t without its memorable moments. He spent a few evenings wakeboarding in the Persian Gulf with new Navy Seabees friends, found himself herding camels with a Humvee while helping at a rifle range in Kuwait, and even watched an entire restaurant in Kuwait City break into a line dance to “Greased Lightnin’” while enjoying the simple pleasure of standing barefoot in the grass after months in the desert. Those unexpected moments became stories he would bring home alongside a lifetime of service and sacrifice.
In 2010, he returned to the Middle East for a second deployment. This time, he served as the primary wrecker operator, leading convoys throughout Iraq and recovering disabled vehicles to keep missions moving safely.
His service also extended beyond overseas deployments. Whenever Nebraska or our nation called, he answered.
He delivered firewood to Native American reservations in South Dakota, responded to large wildfires in northern Nebraska, traveled to New Orleans to assist communities recovering from Hurricane Katrina, supported FEMA operations throughout Louisiana following Hurricane Gustav, and trained hundreds of soldiers across several states, helping prepare the next generation of service members.
For 11 years Sergeant Coon answered every call with professionalism, humility, and a willingness to serve wherever he was needed. His service required time away from family, difficult conditions, long hours and personal sacrifice, things that often go unseen but should never go unrecognized.
Today, this Quilt of Valor represents more than fabric and thread. It represents comfort, healing, and the gratitude of a thankful nation.
This quilt is especially meaningful because it was lovingly made by your 10-year-old niece. She didn’t just make a quilt for a veteran — she made it for her uncle, someone she deeply admires and is incredibly proud of. With every stitch, she has woven her love, respect, and appreciation as a small but heartfelt way of saying, “Thank you for your service and for all you have done for our country.”
Sergeant Coon, thank you for your service, your sacrifices, and your unwavering commitment to protecting the freedoms we enjoy every day.
Mike Frey presented by Elena & Mindy Reimer
Mike Frey was drafted into the Army in June of 1972. He was the last to be drafted from Nance County. He completed Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After basic training, he was trained as a crane operator and heavy equipment operator. He spent 18 months in Dexheim, West Germany, working on heavy equipment. He also worked with mobile assault bridges where they bridged to the Rhine River for equipment to cross. He was honorably discharged in 1974 and then worked on reserve duty in Wyoming building roads for 6 months. He is a director on the board of the Veteran’s Museum. He serves on the honor guard for funerals and is in his second year as a commander of the American Legion Post 141 in Fullerton. He told his makers, he is honored to receive this quilt. He will cherish this day forever. He is proud to be a veteran. God bless the USA!