Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
----Surnames: Mavis, Murphy, Becker, Mashin
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark, Co) 9/28/2016
American Legion to Honor Veterans Mavis & Becker (3 October 2016)
American Legion to Honor Veterans Mavis & Becker
Earl Mavis will be honored for his military service during a special recognition program Monday, Oct. 3, at the Neillsville American Legion Club. Mavis served in the U. S. Army from 1953 until his honorable discharge in 1954.
(Contributed Photos)
By Todd Schmidt
Neillsville American Legion Post 73 will honor military veterans Earl Mavis and Terry Becker during a special program Monday, Oct. 3. Social hour is scheduled at 4:30 p.m., with a potluck meal set at 5:30 p.m. and the recognition program to follow.
Mavis was born in Barrington, IL. He was raised on a farm in the Marengo, IL area. He attended Marengo Grade School and graduated from Marengo High School in 1950.
After graduation, he drove a truck for two years and then worked at Arnold Engineering, where they made magnets.
Mavis was drafted into the U. S. Army in January 1953 and was sent to Camp Roberts, CA, for basic training.
He left on a ship for Germany, and remembers being very sick on the way over there. He cannot recall where he was stationed.
Mavis was trained in the Signal Corp (Communications and Morse Code) while in Germany. His main work detail was driving a truck.
He was honorably discharged right before Christmas in 1954. He went back to work for Arnold Engineering, as their policy was servicemen were guaranteed to get their job back upon returning home. He also worked the night shift at a foundry.
In 1957, he started dairy farming in Marengo. In 1979, he bought a dairy farm in rural Greenwood. Later on while farming, he also worked at Weather Shield.
In 1998, he sold his farm and moved to the city of Greenwood and continued working at Weather Shield, retiring in 2007.
In 1952, he married Dorothy Murphy, who passed away in March 2016. He has five children: Kathy, Deb, Bob, Deanna and Dave. He enjoys 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mavis previously enjoyed hunting. His current hobbies include growing orchids. He now has 24 different colors.
Mavis is also a master winemaker. He has made over 20 different kinds, and his latest flavor has chocolate in it.
He has a special room where he makes and stores the many bottles of wine. He just started growing grapes, which he will put to good use in his winemaking.
Mavis laughs when telling about another hobby. He traps squirrels and takes them 5 miles out in the country.
Mavis is a member of Post 73 in Neillsville.
Terry Becker will be honored for his military service during a special recognition program Monday, Oct. 3, at the Neillsville American Legion Club. Becker joined the national Guard Service Company 128th Infantry while in high school. Company E was activated in 1961 during the Berlin Crisis. (Contributed Photos)
Becker was born in Necedah, where he attended grade school and the first year of high school.
In 1952, his family moved to a farm northwest of Neillsville. Becker graduated from Neillsville High School in 1955.
He joined the national Guard Service Company 128th Infantry while in high school. The company spent two weeks a year training at Camp McCoy.
Becker also worked at Svetlik Motors in the parts department and drove school bus.
Company E of the 128th Infantry 32nd Division was activated in 1961 during the Berlin Crisis. They were sent to Ft. Lewis, WA, where they trained in the Yakima mountains and valleys.
Becker was a Sgt. E5 and was a squad leader of the 106th Recoilless Rifle Company. These rifles were mounted on jeeps.
The Infantry came back after a year of service. Becker went back to work at Svetlik Motors and drove a school bus for a total of 10 years.
After it was built in 1965, Becker bought the holiday Gas Station and operated it for 27 years. He retired in 1992 and then went to work part-time at Jensen Motors in Spencer (for 20 years).
Becker also raised beef during this time. He still lives on the family farm and enjoys his eight hoses and one mule.
Becker married Joyce Mashin in 1956. They have one surviving daughter, Cindy, and have fun with one grandson and two great-grandchildren.
The Beckers now spend their winters in Florida.
