Veterans from the Clutter and Shafer families from Marlinton will be formally honored on Memorial Day, May 31, at the Veterans Memorial in Silver Springs Township, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Richard A. “Andy” Wheeler is married to Helen Clutter. Andy is a retired Navy Submarine Force veteran. He, along with other veterans, serve on the Township Veterans Committee. Raising $350,000.00 of private and in-kind donations, such as concrete and building materials, the committee commissioned and built a beautiful Veterans Memorial in one of the township parks. The Veterans Committee sold more than 600 memorial bricks at $100, and each one honors an individual veteran. The bricks are installed in the walkways surrounding the Memorial.
Formal programs are presented at the Veterans Memorial every year on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The 10 children of the Marlinton family of Tom and Selma Clutter included three boys: Tom, Orval and Steve; and seven girls: Betty, Jean, Opal, Linda, Helen, Mickey and Hazel. All seven Clutter girls married veterans.
Five of the late Walter and Mary Shafer’s sons were raised in Marlinton and served in the military.
Memorial bricks were sponsored for the veterans in the Clutter and Shafer families. The bricks will be installed and dedicated on Memorial Day.
The late Orval Ray Clutter served as a gunner in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.
Corporal Allen F. Chamelin is married to Opal Clutter. He served in the United States Marine Corp. from 1953 to 1957.
The late James J. Wilmot Jr. was married to Betty Clutter. He served as an officer in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Thomas L. Clutter served in the United States Army.
The late Walter F. “Fred” Shafer Jr. was married to Linda Clutter. He served in the United States Army in the 1950s.
William N. Shafer served in the United States Navy in the 1950s.
The late Joseph E. Shafer served in the United States Navy in Vietnam in the 1960s.
The late Thomas D. Shafer served in the United States Army in the 1950s.
Philip J. Shafer served in the United States Army in the 1950s.
The late William J. Thompson was married to Mickey Clutter. He served in the United States Army in the 1950s.