Gene and Sherry Peterson, located Cedar Rapids, IA are truly a team. They met at the local VFW. Gene joined as a Vietnam Marine. Sherry joined the Auxiliary under the service of her three sons who all joined the Army and all deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Gene and Sherry went on to serve as Post Commander and Auxiliary President in 2010. In addition to Sherry’s children serving, Gene’s daughter graduated from West Point Military Academy and served as a captain in the US Army.
In 2016 Sherry nominated Gene and six of his Vietnam Veteran friends to receive a Quilt of Valor. Receiving his Quilt of Valor helped close the chapter on a difficult time in his life. Thus began their commitment to supporting the mission of honoring the service of those veterans touched by war.
They are called the ‘road warriors’, driving all over the State of Iowa to ensure those Veterans in rural areas, homebound or uncomfortable with group presentations are able to be presented with a Quilt of Valor in a manner that affords them the dignity they deserve.
They are both volunteers at the Iowa Veterans Home and are active in the programs at the VFW. Gene continues to serve his fellow Veterans through his employment with the VA medical clinics. Sherry is the office manager at the local Home Instead Senior Care.