Five veterans honored in Bagley
During the Veterans Day program at the Bagley High School 5 veterans were honored with their own Quilt of Valor. The Veterans were chosen by the students. Gladys Lueken, member of the Headwaters Quilt Guild (Bemidji), presided over the ceremony.
Mark Bensen was born and raised along with two siblings in Monticello MN graduating with the class of 1993.
Mark enlisted in the US Marine Corps in September 1993 for a four-year period being honorably discharged in 1997 as a Corporal E-4. His basic training was completed at Camp Pendleton CA with his MOS training of Aviation Ordnanceman working on attack helicopters.
Upon discharge from the military, he studied at Bemidji State University utilizing the GI bill. That was just the beginning of his education as he received his Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota State Moorhead, and his Principal licensure from St Mary’s University in the Twin Cities. Interesting fun fact he did his student teaching at Red Lake, got a position teaching 7th grade Social Studies for seven years, dean of students for two years and Principal for five years. How is that for advancing through one school system? He has been in the Bagley School District 162 since 2020, the person that nominated him stated “he goes above and beyond each day for his staff and students”.
After 911 he felt the need to join the military again. The Marine Corps had limited options for the reserves, so he joined the Army reserves serving in that capacity from 2001-2009 being honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant. He was mobilized to Afghanistan as a construction engineer working with carpentry and masonry to build a prison, update runways, and assisted various construction tasks throughout the county.
He has been married to his wife Amanda Bensen for twenty years and they have two children Avery, a Junior and Charlie who is an eighth grader.
Mark is a member of the American Legion Irvin Post 16 and can be seen at football games as part of the color guard.
Mark Bensen, veteran of both the Marine Corps and Army Reserves, Louise Walker a member of the Headwaters Quilt Guild is honored to have made this quilt especially for you and award and wrap you in your Quilt of Valor.
Stephen Eric Styles was raised with his sister, Amanda (Mandy) in Nitro, WV by Stephen Willis Styles and Sandra Kay (Miller) Styles. He was encouraged to enlist in the Air Force by two of his maternal uncles: Troy who was an Air Force retiree and Bob who was a Vietnam Army Veteran.
Stephen enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1995 and served just over 20 years, retiring in 2015 at the rank of Master Sergeant.
He departed for basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas in February of 1995 and continued his military training as a Water and Wastewater Plant Operator at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas. Stephen’s first duty station was at Whiteman AFB in Knob Noster, MO. His career continued with a short tour to Kunsan AFB, Korea and a long tour to Ramstein AFB, Germany. His initial intention was to separate following his stint in Germany, but September 11, 2001, occurred while he was there and his career field was stop-lost so he was not permitted to. Stephen was then given Nellis AFB, in Las Vegas, Nevada as his follow-on duty station. Finally, Stephen was transferred to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, in Anchorage Alaska where he retired in March of 2015.
Throughout his career he deployed many times for schools, training, and mission readiness to places like Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Japan, and all over the continental United States; however, he was also deployed to active war zones throughout the Middle East including three times to Iraq, twice to Saudi Arabia, and once, each to United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman.
Before he was even to his first duty station, his career field melded with that of the Civil Engineer Plumbers to become the Utilities Systems Flight and before he retired, the Fuels Section was also absorbed into his career field, as well. Through it all, he spent much of his career working the thankless, but necessary job of a plumber. He worked through the hottest days in the desert and the coldest nights of Alaska ensuring his fellow Airmen had clean drinking water or had the fuels necessary to guarantee the aircraft of each base was mission ready.
Stephen met his wife, Kayci, while they were both stationed at Whiteman AFB, in Missouri. Kayci Drellack is no stranger to Bagley as she was born and raised here and graduated from Bagley High School in 1996. They were married in September of 1998 and have three grown children. The youngest also graduated from Bagley in 2021. Kayci was able to accompany Stephen on his overseas tours (e.g. Ramstein and Anchorage); however, during his short tour and all the deployments, she remained at his primary duty station raising the children alone. For many years, he was gone more often than he was home, but Kayci supported him because he believed in his mission and she knew he wanted a better life for his family than what West Virginia could offer.
After almost a decade in Alaska, Stephen and Kayci moved to Clearwater County in 2020. Kayci’s sister, who is a real estate agent, found their perfect retirement home on Long Lake while they were still in Alaska and they signed a purchase agreement sight unseen. Stephen now passes hours in his garden. He kayak fishes in the summer and ice fishes in the winter and deer hunts every fall. He also loves hanging out at the lake or at the Lakes’ Jam with Kayci’s family, or spending quiet time at home with Kayci and the kids whenever he can see them or with the dogs and cat whenever he cannot.
Stephen was a member of the VFW in Eagle River, Alaska and is a proud member of the American Legion Irvin Blix Post 16.
Master Sergeant Stephen Styles, The Headwaters Quilt Guild is honored to award and wrap you in your Quilt of Valor.
Patrick E.C. Rose was born and raised in Michigan with his five siblings. He graduated from Muskegon High School in 1974.
In 1974 Patrick enlisted in the Army doing his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was first trained as a Construction Engineer and later added in carpentry and finally trained as a medic where he felt a real calling. After leaving the military he became an LPN.
He was deployed to Berlin Germany before the wall came down, and again in Germany at Ramstein base as a medic in a field hospital. They literally moved the whole field hospital into the mountains. Think of the show Mash. His granddaughter who nominated him said quote “he risked his life not only to save our country but risked his life to save everybody else’s lives” she also commented “He served for twelve years which means that when it seemed that it was hard he didn’t give up.” He still lives that way doing what is right and often hard. He also was deployed to Honduras. He was discharged from the military in 1986 with rank of E-5. From Fort Sill Oklahoma. He became an Army Recruiter for a time.
He met his wife, Marlene, in Germany while attending a church service with his best Army buddy Dean Fredrickson from Shevlin, her husband. When Dean passed away at an early age Patrick and Marlene were married and he adopted her five children and they have a son together. Marlene is daughter to Amos and Doris Fultz longtime residents of Clearwater County. They have increased their clan to 34 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
His plan had been to have a long career in the army but that was cut short when he and his wife were disabled while riding their motorcycle and hit by a drunk driver. Patrick sure shows a lot of grit when dealing with the life that he is dealt.
They now have legal custody of four of the grandchildren that they are raising. Sounds like a busy household. They have recently moved to Bemidji where he is Pastor at Ridgewood Baptist church still saving people.
E-5 Patrick E C Rose the Headwaters Quilt Guild is honored to award and wrap you in your Quilt of Valor.
Jeffrey Schermerhorn was raised in Walnut Grove Minnesota along with five other siblings having brothers and brothers-in-law in the military he wanted to enlist when he got out of high school. After talking to the recruiter, he was told he needed a GED or a high school diploma. He quit school in March of 75 got his GED and joined the United States Navy towards the end of the Vietnam War. He served until March of 1979. He did his boot camp at San Diego California his A school training at Millington Tennessee. From there he went to Naval Air Station Lemoore California and served with VA 94 carrier attack strike Squadron. He was an Aviation ordinance man which loaded bombs, missiles,Rockets on Navy jet aircraft. He was honorably discharged March of 1979 and moved to Bagley Minnesota to attend Bemidji State University he graduated from Bemidji State University in 1985 with a history and social studies Bachelor of scienceteaching degree using the GI Bill
Jeffrey has been in the beverage alcohol industry for 45 years as a sales representative ironically, he is also very active in the local AA community with 17 years of sobriety.
Jeff has been a proud member of the American Legion Irvin Blix Post 16 for twenty-four years.
Jeffrey is well known in the community for his goal of having every deceased veteran in Clearwater County to have a paver stone at our Veterans Memorial. In 2012 he organized the first “Ride for the Stones” motorcycleride. The first year they raised $1,862 and now in 2025 they raised over $20,000 and to date the motorcycle ride has generated $116,000 which comes to 580 paver stones.
Thank you, Jeffrey, for your care and recognition of your brothers and sisters and being a true patriot who loves his country.
Allen Deshane was born to Todd and Teddy Deshane in Panama. They moved to Bagley when he was 2 years old.
Allen graduated with the class of 2012 from Bagley High School. Allen was influenced to join the military by several relatives who had served in the military, including his father, grandfathers, and uncles. He enlisted in the United States Air Force that year.
Allen completed his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas.
He was trained as a client systems technician at Keesler Air Force Base Biloxi, Mississippi which is primarily known for its role in technical training, particularly in fields such as electronics, radar, and cyber operations.
Allen’s first base after his MOS training was near home at Grand Forks, ND, followed by Ramstein Germany. While serving in Germany he was deployed to Slovenia, Syria, Italy, Romania, and Austria. and departed service in 2021 from McConnel AFB in Kansas with the rank of Staff Sergeant with nine years of serving our country in the US Air Force.
While serving in the military he earned several medals and accommodations such as an Air Force Commendation Medal, 3 Air Force Achievement Medals, Operation Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, and 19 additional various medals.
Being an only child, he felt the pull to return to Bagley to be near his family and friends after the long separation.
Allen is currently employed by Clearwater County in the IT department utilizing his military training. Between 2021 and 2025 he was a System Engineer for the Department of Defense living in Alabama.
Since returning home he has reconnected with his lifelong friend, Jasmine Bishop, as his significant other who has become his best friend and amazing girlfriend.
In his off time, he enjoys playing video games and true to his training in the military he does weightlifting.
Staff Sergeant, Allen Deshane, The Headwaters Quilt Guild is honored to be able to award and wrap you in your Quilt of Valor.