Air Force veteran, Janna Stollery, was presented with a Quilt of Honor Tuesday, July 1. She is pictured with her fellow American Legion Post 226 members. From left are Steve Wilson, Bob Brooks, Dan Schwab, Larry Bray, Ron Klotz, Jeff Dippon and Gary Miller.

By Lilli Dwyer
InkFreeNews

MILFORD — Janna Stollery, Friend of the Milford Library, active volunteer and Air Force veteran was presented with a Quilt of Honor Tuesday, July 1.

Stollery was nominated for the quilt, in honor of her service in the Air Force, by her fellow members of Friends of the Milford Library.

Linda Green of the Lakeland Quilt Club spent two months handcrafting the quilt and presented it to Stollery at the Friends’ meeting Tuesday afternoon. Also in attendance were members of Milford’s American Legion Post 226.

“We thank you. I’m very honored to have made the quilt for you, and I hope that you enjoy it,” said Green.

Green also read a biography Stollery had prepared for the occasion. Stollery joined the Air Force after graduating from high school in 1969. She underwent basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and technical training at Kesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Her first assignment was in the postal career field at Kesler, followed by regular administrative duty at Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton, Fla. Her service took her to Keflavik, Iceland, for a year before she returned to Hurlburt Field.

In 1981, she retrained to be a student trainer advisor for students in a combat-related technical school at Hurlburt Field. In 1985, she retrained again to be a leadership school instructor and director of education.

In May of 1989, she was selected as the first female commandant of the Basic NCO Leadership School.

She earned a promotion to senior master sergeant, but declined the position so she could retire in 1990.

Since her retirement, Stollery has filled her days with volunteer service at Milford Food Bank and Van Buren Township Food Pantry, as well as the Friends of the Milford Library. Stollery has been an honor guard member of Syracuse Post 223 since 2013, and Post 226 since 2022.

“There is no greater joy than doing for someone who cannot do for themselves,” Green read from Stollery’s statement. “The simple task of driving someone to an appointment or just visiting an elderly soul gives me great pleasure in satisfaction.”

Stollery grew tearful as she thanked those assembled for the quilt.

“I’m shaky but proud, and I am very moved,” she said.

Linda Green of Lakeland Quilt Club prepares to wrap a Quilt of Honor around Janna Stollery. Green handcrafted the quilt over two months.