American Legion Auxiliary, Reinhart W. Roman Post 537

Chester Township History & Genealogy

American Legion Auxiliary, Reinhart W. Roman Post 537

For God and Country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes:

To uphold and defend the constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations during the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and goodwill on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy; to participate in and contribute to the accomplishment of the aims and purposes of The American Legion; to consecrate and sanctify our association by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.*

* American Legion Auxiliary Preamble

The Reinhard W. Roman Post No. 537, American Legion Auxiliary was formed in 1946, shortly after the Legion Post began. Thirty-four women joined as Charter Members. From their beginning, the Auxiliary was active in Memorial Day activities – helping to place flags and wreaths on veterans’ graves, placing the wreath on the flag poll at the veterans’ memorial, and, in more recent years, placing the wreath on the flag pole during the Chester Township Memorial Day program and parade in Conklin. Many members also visited veterans living in the Veterans Facility in Grand Rapids. They would visit, play cards, and put on bingo games for the veterans. For several years, Auxiliary members brought a group of veterans from the facility to the Berlin Fair in Marne. The women were usually the first to respond with donations of clothing and other goods for families in the community who had lost their homes to a fire. They also made and distributed holiday baskets, visited shut-ins, and held fund raising events to provide money for the care and upkeep of the Legion Hall and to fund their charitable activities.

Charter Membership Roll

Caddie Abbott

Caroline Ade

Virginia Batson

Pamela Batson

Helen Batson

Leah Brandow

Dorothy Cook

Helen Creager

Laura Dinkel

Marilyn Dinkel

Ruby Doane

Irene Filkins

Lorraine Gilbert

Mary Jablonski

Hildegarde Lachmann

Paulina Lachmann

Jessie Rasmussen

Sarah Ritz

Marie Robbins

Joyce Robbins

Josephine Robins

Hulda Roman

Elma Roman

Alice Rosel

Louise Schaefer

Lela Schaefer

Violet Seaman

Eva Sheridan

Helen VanDyke

Rita VanDyke

Laura Walters

Delores Wiltenburg

Helen Wiltenburg

Garnet Wiltenburg

The first officers of the Auxiliary were:

President:	Mrs. Marie Robbins
Vice President:	Mrs. Louise Schaefer
2^nd Vice President:	Miss Virginia Batson
Secretary:	Mrs. Laura Wolters
Treasurer:	Mrs. Caroline Ade
Historian:	Mrs. Hildegard Lachmann
Sergeant At Arms	Mrs. Hulda Roman

Marie Robbins President, 1946

Louise Schaefer Vice President, 1946

Violet Seaman 2nd Vice President, 1946

Virginia Batson Secretary, 1946

Laura Wolters Treasurer, 1946

Over time, the membership gradually declined, as some members moved away and older members died. Also, fewer younger members joined. Finally in 1998 the Auxiliary voted to give up its Charter. The remaining members transferred their membership to other Posts.

Chester Township
Ottawa County
Michigan, USA

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