United States Army Mothers

The United States Army Mothers was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, by Margaret Jackson on September 25, 1940. Post No. 7 at Marceline, Missouri, was organized September, 1942, at the First Baptist Church and Edith Bealmear was elected the first president and a charter was formed. There are still two of the original charter members with the post, Mrs. Carrie McKinney and Mrs. Nora Dorrell.

Among the first projects of the post was the meeting of troop trains and serving the boys hot meals and coffee at no cost to the serviceman. They were first located in the Santa Fe depot and later moved to the baggage room because of the extra space needed. The Army Mothers were on call twenty-four hours a day and there were always some of them at the depot to meet all the troop trains. When there was not enough room to serve the boys, the Santa Fe would let them use one of their baggage trucks to haul the food and drink up and down the platforms and serve them through the windows of the trains. Most of the merchants, donated food and drinks to the Army Mothers to help in this worthy cause. Three carpenters in the town donated their time and effort in building the Canteen just north of the depot, and here the Army Mothers stayed until the end of the war. Calvin Westfall would open his grocery store at any hour of the night or Sundays and let the post have the food at cost. Soon organizations and individuals would donate food and drink to the canteen, and it was with their help that it was the success that it was.

After the canteen closed the members of the post kept on with their work of helping the men that were still in service. They held rummage sales and bake sales to help the wounded men that were in the Jefferson Barracks at St. Louis, Missouri, and the Veterans Hospital at Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

The United States Army Mothers hold two conventions a year, a state and a national. Two state conventions have been held in Marceline.

Some of the other projects of the post include sewing for the army hospitals, helping families that are destitute, and holding dances to help in the polio drive.

One of the local members, Mrs. Goldie Woodside, is now holding a state office as historian. The membership in Marceline is now thirty. Current officers are: Commander, Mrs. Fannie Hunter; 1st Vice, Mrs. Augustine Floray; 2nd Vice, Mrs. Lucille Whisenand; Adjutant, Mrs. Carrie McKinney; Finance, Mrs. Ruby Guthrie; Historian, Mrs. Eva Jones; Judge Advocate, Mrs. Mary Hensley; Chaplain, Mrs. Ethel Baughman; Sgt.-at- Arms, Mrs. Sadie Lower; Banner Bearer, Mrs. Millie Brooks; Color Bearer, Mrs. Opal Oldham; Reporter, Mrs. Lanna Davolt; Sunshine Comm., Mrs. Wilma Byrd.

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