LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - JULY 18, 2021 by Lynne Belluscio Last Sunday about thirty members of the Wetzel family gathered on the back porch of LeRoy House to celebrate the promotion of Colonel Becky Wetzel in the United States Army to Major. Becky’s grandparents, Loren and Janet Wetzel at one time lived on East Main Street in the former Olmsted House where they raised their three children, Keith, Brian and Lynne. Loren and Janet built a new house across from the golf course on East Main Road and lived there until they moved to Buffalo, to be closer to their family. Loren died in 2018, but Janet and her family have always considered LeRoy to be home. When news of Rebecca’s promotion was announced, Janet wanted to be “home” for the ceremony, and LeRoy House was as close to being home as possible. Becky Wetzel is the daughter of Keith and Peg Wetzel. Her dad graduated from LeRoy in 1977, and her mom Peg still lives in LeRoy. Becky graduated from LeRoy Central School in 2007 and went on to attend Long Island University and then she joined the Army in 2011. She attended Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and served her residency at Walter Reed National Medical Center and received a fellowship in oncology at Walter Reed in 2018. She was assigned to Walter Reed during the recent COVID pandemic. C o l o n e l AWe t z e l w a s A p r e s e n t e d A h e r p r omo t i onAbyAArmy Colonel (Retired) Cruz Sedillo from Baltimore, who recounted Colonel Wetzel’s distinguished service, especially during the recent pandemic and the symbolic meaning of the Oak Leaves worn by Majors in the Army. Becky’s grandmother, pinned her new shoulderboards on her uniform and then it was time for family photos. Particularly important for the family was the opportunity to gather around the gas light in the front lawn of the LeRoy House. It had been refurbished in memory of Loren Wetzel and one of his friends, Frank Elliott. After the family photos were taken, I asked Major Wetzel if she would walk across the street to the Soldiers’ Monument for a quick photo next to the World War 1 monument. Her visit would bring together the story of two LeRoy women, who in the face of a pandemic, served their country. As I explained, on that monument was the name of Cecelia Cochran, a nurse who succumbed to influenza during World War 1. Cecelia was born in LeRoy in 1894 and was confirmed in St. Peter’s Church. She attended nursing school at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester and served as a school nurse in Cleveland before she volunteered as a United States Public Health Nurse with the Army. She was assigned to an Army camp in Hunt svi l le ,AAlabama , where she died, aiding the soldiers. Her body was returned by rail to Batavia, and she was buried in St. Francis Cemetery on Union Street in LeRoy. Major Wetzel quickly understood why I wanted her to honor another woman from LeRoy, and both she and Colonel Sedillo walked over to the monument, even though it was raining. It was a stirring moment, when both of them snapped to attention and saluted another valiant woman from LeRoy. The words, “ Thank you for your service” take on special meaning at times like this. A Historical Salute