Carl and Sherri Carder named grand marshals for Chautauqua parade

As a means of recognizing their own accomplishments as well as saluting all the servicemen and servicewomen from Daviess County, Carl and Sherri Carder have been selected as parade grand marshals for the 2008 Chautauqua.

Sherri and Carl are both graduates of Gallatin High School, Carl in 1974 and Sherri in 1976. The couple celebrated their 32^nd wedding anniversary on Sept. 10. They have two daughters.

Brandi Moritz lives in Platte City and works at the Platte County Health Department as an environmental specialist. Her husband, Lance, is a heavy equipment operator with Stinnett Construction Company, Platte City.

Brook Kreatz lives in Chillicothe and is an agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor at Trenton High School. Her husband, Justin, is a department manager for Lowe’s in Chillicothe.

The Carders have one granddaughter Chloe Bea Moritz, their pride and joy, who will be two on Sept. 22. Chloe brought their family to the fifth generation.

After graduating from GHS Carl joined the navy serving four years active duty with the Seabees Naval Construction Battalion 4 as a heavy equipment operator. Part of that time was spent on a small island called Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean operating cranes building piers.

Carl got out of the service in 1978 and headed home. Nine years later in March of 1985, he joined the navy reserves. For 18 years he drilled once a month and did two to three week training once a year.

Dessert Storm came along and things started changing. The possibility of activation came, but the war was over quickly.

Then came Operation Iraqi Freedom and Carl was called to active duty and made his first trip to Iraq in March of 2003 to September of 2003 with the Marine Expeditionary Force stationed in the ancient city of Babylon. The Seabees built camps and airfields and rebuilt schools.

Who would know that just four years later his unit would be mobilized for the second time in June of 2007. Carl was with the Marine Air Wing stationed at Al Asad, Iraq. He served as Operations Chief of NMCB-15. He managed the manpower of a full battalion of Seabees in companies scattered throughout Iraq.

Carl returned from active duty at the end of March this year.

"My experience in Iraq was a lot different the second time than the first time," he said. "I never heard a shot fired in hostility. That’s by no means saying it’s not dangerous in Iraq, because it is. There are some very dangerous areas, and our soldiers and sailors are placing themselves in harm’s way every day."

Carl was promoted to command master chief of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-15 on July 18 of this year in a Change of Command ceremony at the base in Belton. He has achieved the rank of E-9. Only about 1% of navy personnel attain this rank.

Carl has been in the navy a total of 27 ½ years and has received numerous medals and awards. He is most proud of his two navy commendation medals, one for each trip to Iraq, and one Navy Achievement Medal.

"Being activated twice was a humbling experience," said Carl. "What I wasn’t able to take care of before I left, the community stepped in and helped with."

Carl knew he was going to be activated for his second deployment and knew he had to get wood cut for the winter. But he broke his foot cutting wood just six weeks before he left. The wood pile was looking pretty lean. The Carder’s church family, friends and neighbors, all got together and made sure Sherri had plenty of wood to get her through the winter. There were many other acts of kindness shown.

"I left Gallatin to join the navy and see the world. When I came back home I knew this was where I wanted to spend the rest of my life and raise my family," said Carl.

Carl worked briefly with Landmark Manufacturing, then worked with his father Connie in their construction business for about five years from 1979-1984. He has been with highway department going on 25 years. The first 14 years he was with the Gallatin maintenance building, the last 11 years he worked out of the Cameron project office as a construction inspector.

Sherri worked at the McDonald Tea Room, Syd Weybrew‘s Law office and Lambert Cap Factory. She moved to California for two years while Carl was stationed in the navy. When they moved back, she worked at the First National Bank, then at the Daviess County Health Department, where she has been employed for 27 years this month working with WIC and immunizations.

Carl is a member and elder of the First Christian Church of Gallatin and has served on the school board. He helped charter the Gallatin Jaycee’s, which is now known as the Gallatin’s Men Club. He is a member of the Gallatin VFW post 2172.

"I’m proud to be chosen as grand marshal because I’m proud to be a part of this community," Carl said. "And I will remain eternally grateful for all the good things that have happened in my life because of the support given by family, friends and this community."

Sherri is a member and deacon of the First Christian Church and has been a Sunday school teacher and Christian education assistant. She was a 4-H leader and then 4-H community leader for many years. She is a member of Omicron Pi and the Ladies Auxiliary Post #2172.

As a navy wife Sherri served as an assistant ombudsman for NMCB 15 for both deployments to help families in emergencies or crisis during deployment. She served as the 2008 Welcome Home Seabee Ball Chair person for the NMCB 15 detachment out of Belton.

"It is certainly an honor to be chosen as grand marshals," said Sherri. "We are not so sure we live up to those before us, who are truly icons of our community. They have given so much to our community in service, time and dedication. They have all been role models for our family."

The Carder family would like to ask everyone to continue to support and honor all of our men and women from Daviess County that have been and still are serving our country all around the world. They ask that the community always keep our troops and their families in its prayers. Remember all the veterans before us who fought to keep our freedom.

"We are so blessed to be a part of such a supportive and giving community," said Carl and Sherri. "Our family cannot say ‘thank you’ enough for what the Gallatin community has done for our family, not only during Carl’s deployments but throughout the years. May God bless this community the way He has blessed our family with THIS community."

Past Chautauqua Grand Marshals have included — 1989 Mrs. Katherine Brandom; 1990 Dr. E.E. Nixon; 1991 Mrs. Aline Thompson; 1992 Joe and Katherine Snyder; 1993 J.Paul and Mary Virginia Croy; 1994 Jack and Dorothy Lynch; 1995 Jimmy Barton; 1996 Bob and Jane Ann Paul; 1997 Mrs. Katharine Barker; 1998 Bob Teegarden; 1999 David and Darlene Mackintosh; 2000 Bob and Susan Ann Aulgur; 2001 Arland and Mary Haynes; 2002 Bill and Leota Snyder; 2003 Nancy Terry; 2004 Danny and Karen Critten; 2005 Doyle and Darlene Patton; 2006 Larry and Patty Dickinson; 2007 Bill and Karen Reed; 2008 Carl and Sherri Carder.