Auxiliary recognizes members for 50 years of membership

In recognition of Women’s History Month in March, the American Legion Auxiliary in Karlstad is recognizing four of its members who have held continuous membership for 50 years or more.

The four women are: Mereece Borneman, Doris Olson, Evelyn Stallock, and Evelyn Spangrud.

Of those women, Evelyn Spangrud has been a member for 56 years, beginning in 1962.

She remembers Irene Bostrom and Ember Celany coming to her door during a membership drive. “I’ve been a member ever since,” Spangrud said.

Spangrud joined the auxiliary to be a part of something, with four brothers in the military and later, two sons, who enlisted. “My children were young and growing up, I wanted to belong to some things.”

Spangrud came from a family of 13, seven boys and six girls. One brother had polio and couldn’t enlist, but four brothers served in various branches, as well as three brothers-in-law.

“We were connected there. I wanted to belong,” she remembered. “As long as this was going to be my home, I felt I had to belong to some things, so that worked out pretty well for me.”

For more on this story, see this week’s North Star News!