Road Trip: A Comedy of Errors, Part 5

Road Trip: A Comedy of Errors, Part 5

Nebraska Corn Field

Saturday morning we slept until seven and David got on the road to pick up that darn suitcase in Omaha. Doris came and picked me up and had great news. The Quartermaster medal was found and was waiting at the front desk for her.  I am so glad it was found. We met at the front desk and the girl at the counter looked all over and could not find it. She promised to find it and have it ready when we got back. Doris sure is a sweet lady, I would have been in a panic she just rolled with the punches.

Holdrege, Nebraska

We got in the car and headed first to see the land the Cain’s farm. They grow both corn and soy beans and I learned that the crops had to be rotated each season between the two. Amazing in this part of the country there are fields as far as one can see. We went by their house and I saw my first yellow finch at her feeder. We just did a drive by and headed out to Holdrege. I can’t tell you how many times the thought went through my head “I could so live here.” When I saw a tractor working I thought “I could so spend my day on that tractor.” I must have been a farmer in another life.

National Guard Armory, Holdrege, Nebraska

Holdrege was where many of the men from my father’s original 110th Quartermaster Regiment came from, including Marvin Cain.  We saw the old armory and went on to the Prairie Museum.  Doris told me there is a great display donated by one of the last living members of the 110^th Quartermaster, Harry Dalstrom. Sadly the museum was closed and we did not have time to wait. It was then off to Lexington to see what we could see. I did not find lions, tiger’s, or bears but I did see a male pheasant. He was one of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen.

Methodist Church, Lexington, Nebraska

I found the Church my parents got married at. Although they did not have a church wedding they were married by the pastor there. Then we drove on to Cozad.

Woodside Headstone

I had no idea where to go in Cozad. As I mentioned my great-grandparents homesteaded there in the late 1800’s. The only place I could think of going was the cemetery.  We pulled into the cemetery and one of the first headstones I saw was a Woodside. I jumped out of the car and ran over. I am not sure what I expected but they were not names I recognized. I took pictures anyway and found Doris at the directory. She found several other Woodside’s but once again I did not know the first names. We walked around a bit then headed back to Lexington to one another cemetery. Now that I am home I found that in one way or another I am related to the Woodside’s in the Cozad cemetery.

My Great Uncle and his Wife

The weather was perfect and Doris and I walked around the cemetery and found no one I knew. This whole time Doris had been calling a friend who lived in Lexington to ask how to get to places.

Another Great Uncle

From the last cemetery Doris’s friend knew of one more cemetery and it was close. I knew my family was not there as it was the Catholic cemetery but I knew my father’s best buddy, Robert “Bob” Winter and his wife was there.  We drove in and the first name I see is Ozanne. That is a name I remember hearing from when I was young. I am not sure why I remembered that name but I can remember hearing it, it was a name I remembered hearing. In fact I was able to find Mr. Ozanne’s birth and burial records and added him to Find a Grave. I hopped out and ran over to see if Alan was there. Sure enough he was there with his family.  I knelt down and touched his headstone as tears threatened to leak from my eyes.

One of the men Dad talks about in his letters, Allen Ozanne

We then went off to find Mr. Winter. I must say I got real emotional visiting each of these graves a whole lot more than I thought I would. When I found Robert “Bob” Winter and Madeline, who my father talked so much about in his letters my eyes more than threatened. I feel like I know them as Dad talks about them so much in his letters. Bob was Dad’s best buddy and he really helped Dad get through the way. For this I thanked them both. It was hard to leave them. On the back of the headstone listed Bob and Madeline’s son’s names and I am going to try to find them and send them a letter. Since Bob plays such a big role in my father’s story I feel they need to know. I know you may not see this in my writing but I am pretty shy.

My Dad’s best buddy, Bob and his Wife Madeline

This was certainly a day in honor of my father, his family, and the soldier’s my father served with.  I had a great time and I feel like even though Doris and Roger are not related they are certainly my family now.

When we got back to the hotel the Quartermaster pin was waiting at the front desk and I sighed a sigh of relief. David was on his way back from feeding the horses. He picked up something to eat, we went to the pool, and soaked in the hot tub and once back in the room I feel into a deep sleep.

We had only gone about 300 miles on our trip (Well David had driven a lot further) and the next day would be a full day. Starting in Kearney, Nebraska and ending in Cedaredge, Colorado where we would stay another two nights. We were still two days behind. Although we would not catch up we would at least not lose any more time, or would we?

Road Trip: A Comedy of Errors, Part 1

Road Trip: A Comedy of Errors, Part 2

Road Trip: A Comedy of Errors, Part 3

Road Trip: A Comedy of Errors, Part 4