YOUNGSTOWN AREA Lowellville man will take command of veterans council

The United Veterans Council will recognize Canfield residents as Veteran of the Year and Citizen of the Year.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- Lloyd A. Edwards of Lowellville is to be installed as 2002 commander of the United Veterans Council of Greater Youngstown at the group's 61st annual meeting Saturday at VFW Post 3538, 157 Lowellville Road.
Also, the veterans council will recognize H. Marvin Wilds and Sally Murphy Pallante, both of Canfield, as Veteran of the Year and Citizen of the Year, respectively.
Edwards succeeds Raymond Ornelas Sr. of Poland Township. Other UVC officers to be installed are: James D. Dill, senior vice commander; Dean B. McClain, junior vice commander; James E. McGinnis, treasurer; and Philip Shank, chaplain.
Hector Colon, retired Youngstown fire chief and a Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran, will be the main speaker at the meeting, which begins with a social hour at 6 p.m.
Colon was a member of the fire department for 25 years and was its chief for eight years before retiring in 1997.
Army vet: Edwards, an Army veteran, enlisted in 1946 and retired from the Postal Service in 1987. During his career he served in the Army and Air Force in the European Theater and Far East, and also served in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve.
He is a life member of the American Legion and has been commander of Post 247 in Lowellville, Mahoning County and the 9th District. He is Buckeye Boys State commissioner and service officer for Post 247.
He and his wife, Gertrude, have five children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Wilds, Veteran of the Year, joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 and served in the European and China, Burma, India Theaters, before leaving the service in 1945. He graduated from Youngstown College in 1949, and taught and was superintendent at Hartford Schools. He was also superintendent of Liberty and Newberry school districts and was an instructor at Trumbull Business College.
Wilds is a three-time commander of the local China, Burma India Veterans Association. He is secretary and former commander of the State Department and vice commander of the National CBIVA.
He and his wife, Alice, have six children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is a member of the Youngstown Shrine Club and Mahoning United Methodist Church.
Involved in planning: Pallante, Citizen of the Year, is a volunteer for numerous local organizations and was instrumental in planning the Nov. 11 memorial Mass at St. Columba Cathedral for the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
She is active in various Irish organizations and is the founder and president of the Irish-American Archival Society.
In 1988, she was honored as the Youngstown YWCA Religious Service Woman of the Year, and in 1999 was Irish Woman of the Year. She and her husband, Dr. Martin D., have four children and 10 grandchildren.
They are members of St. Christine Church, Tippecanoe County Club and Country Club of Naples, Fla.
alcorn@vindy.com