Milestone: Local family restores World War I monument

October 23, 2024 1:30 am
Photo courtesy of Rhodefer family Rhodefer family members (from left) Joan Morrish, Patty Brueckner, Bailey Rhodefer, Kenzi Rhodefer, Dean Rhodefer, Jay Rhodefer, Anita Reynods and Keri Rhodefer join pastor Jerry Luengen at a monument in Carlsborg honoring locals who lost their lives fighting World War I. The Rhodefer family recently restored the marker.
Photo courtesy of Rhodefer family Rhodefer family members (from left) Joan Morrish, Patty Brueckner, Bailey Rhodefer, Kenzi Rhodefer, Dean Rhodefer, Jay Rhodefer, Anita Reynods and Keri Rhodefer join pastor Jerry Luengen at a monument in Carlsborg honoring locals who lost their lives fighting World War I. The Rhodefer family recently restored the marker.

More than a century after “The Great War,” their sacrifice — and memory — endures.

Descendants of Clyde A. Rhodefer, one of 10 men from Clallam County who lost their lives fighting in Europe during World War I, recently restored and enhanced a monument stone that rests in front of a building that is now home to Carlsborg Family Church.

An official re-dedication of the monument is being planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.

The original bronze marker was erected by a private citizen, Toussent Benoit, in 1924 in front of what was then the Carlsborg School, though it did not include the names of the “Clallam County boys” who lost their lives in the conflict.

The Rhodefer family, spearheaded by Clyde’s great-niece Anita Reynolds, replaced the bronze marker, which is now held by Sequim Museum and Arts center, with an engraved stone. The wording of the original plaque appears on the new stone, and below it the names of the 10 men who participated in the European conflict and lost their lives.

Mick Hersey, a monument restoration specialist from the Bremerton area, installed the new stone on Sept. 3. Hersey has worked on several restoration projects in Clallam County with local groups.

“The Rhodefer family is very excited to see this monument restored, and that it came together on its 100 year anniversary. ” Reynolds said.

“The church is also very happy about it. They are proud to have this historical monument on their property, and to have the plaque replaced.”

The Michael Trebert Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution did a great deal of research on the original monument, and the local men who served.