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Newsroom Chapter Blog
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Apr
13
4/13/2009 7:36 AM
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Mark Winer
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In my line of work, I get to meet a lot of incredible people, who all have stories to tell. But I couldn’t resist the opportunity to share one of them here on the blog. It’s a true love story involving romance, war and the Red Cross.
Jim Oberholz grew up in Peru, Illinois. With an urge to fly planes, he joined the military as a pilot during the Korean War and after his service in combat, was transferred to a military base in Great Falls Montana. It was there that Jim began his service with the American Red Cross in 1959. Jim and Roz (who was from the New York City area) met and served together on the military base in Mountain Home, Idaho in 1964. – Roz was an Air Force nurse tending to the sick airmen and dependents. They got married in June, 1965 in Idaho, only 8 months after they met. Then Jim and Roz went to Anchorage, Alaska with Red Cross.
But that was just the beginning of their love story. Together, they managed to spend a lifetime helping others overcome challenges while training people to be healthy and safe and working to help victims of disasters. They volunteered in Montana, Alaska and here in the Midwest. Jim helped lead the effort to help victims of the 1993 Midwest floods here in Missouri.
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| Friday, March 20, 2009: Jim is honored for 50 years of service with the Red Cross. Pictured left to right: Cheryl Bettlach (Administratve Assistant - St. Charles County Service Center), Mary Rosen (Director of Volunteer Resources – American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter), Jim Oberholz (Volunteer – American Red Cross) and Kelly Loepker (Manager of Volunteers – Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region). |
They also traveled overseas on international disaster assignments in Sudan and in Asia and served in health and safety programs on military bases overseas as well.
Even today – in their 70’s – Jim and Roz are giving back to the Red Cross. Jim is celebrating his 50th year with the American Red Cross and they remain active volunteers here at the St. Louis Area Chapter. They have even included the American Red Cross in their will! Jim and Roz can’t think of a better way to celebrate their lives as Red Crossers and share those values with their family and friends.
If you know someone who wants to include the Red Cross in his or her estate plans, call me at 314.516.2785 or click here for more information.
Mark Winer is the manager of gift planning for the American Red Cross.
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1 comment(s) so far...
Re: Mark Winer – Jim and Roz Oberholz: A Red Cross Love Story
Thanks for sharing this, Mark! I have known Jim and Roz for awhile but didn't know about their amazing love story. They are special people.
By Mary Beth Ohlms on
4/17/2009 10:13 AM
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