Turnbow-Higgs American Legion Post 240 and Auxiliary Unit 240 annual Officer Installation Banquet was held Tuesday evening, July 16th, at the Local Post 240 Building. In photo (L-R) Division 4 Commander Ronnie Pietzsch from Roscoe, TX; District 17 Commander Bret Watson from Weatherford, TX; Post 240 Commander Roger Easter from Stephenville; Post 240 Lifetime Member Brad Thompson, also from Stephenville and Department Commander Jim Fleming from Atlanta, TX gather following installation ceremony to congratulate Post 240 'Legionnaire Of The Year' Winner, Roger Easter (C) who was installed Post 240 Commander for the 2013/2014 year.
Lifetime Member (67 Years) Brad Thompson, whose dedication to the American Legion and in particular Post 240 has no bounds, was honored by his American Legion Comrades on this evening. The large Post 240 meeting and recreation room will now and forever be named the 'Brad Thompson Room'. A framed resolution will accompany a matching framed Brad Thompson portrait to be prominently displayed on the wall of meeting room.
Post 240 is forever indebted to Brad Thompson. Chartered in 1920, Post 240 occupied its new building at 801 East Washington, Stephenville, Texas in 1941, and for the next 50 years this building was the location of meetings and other activities. The building and membership during this time began to wear and collapse. The American Legion Department of Texas pulled the Post charter in 1989 and the building was falling down on itself. Brad Thompson was determined to save Post 240.
His dedication, leadership and hard work brought the Post back from the brink of extinction. He led the effort to have Post 240 Charter restored and the effort to raise the money ($95,000) to renovate the old building. With the renovation re-occupancy completed in 1991, Post 240 and Auxiliary Unit 240 led by many devoted members, especially Brad Thompson and Joanna Lay, began a decade of glorious years. Membership soared into the 300’s and several members went on to serve at District, Division and Department levels. Not bad for little old Town of Stephenville with a population of less than 15,000.
Brad will celebrate his 90th birthday on August 2, 2013. Brad, in his infinite wisdom, recognizes that time and health, wait for no man and will prevent him from serving as a 2013/2014 Post Officer for the first time in recent memory. However, he will remain available for advice and counsel as does his loyal, dedicated and very capable secretary, and long time Auxiliary Unit 240 member and past President/Secretary Joanna Lay.
