Lest We Forget founder Don Alsbro has died.
The 83-year-old Alsbro was a Vietnam veteran who had a passion for history and honoring those who served. He started Lest We Forget in 2006, organizing World War II reenactments like landings at Tiscornia Beach and demonstrations at the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport. His goal was always to keep the lessons of history alive for new generations.
Lest We Forget Vice President Lee Scherwitz tells us he met Alsbro at the airport, where Scherwitz once worked, and was soon enlisted in Lest We Forget from the very beginning. When ideas for the first Lest We Forget events developed, it was Alsbro’s networking skills that helped bring things together.
“He brought in people from all over the country to put on this event and he used all the connections available to him,” Scherwitz said. “He was a likable guy that you couldn’t say no to.”
Scherwitz says Alsbro was a “leader among leaders.”
“He had a persona about him that drew people to him to want to help, want to do things. He had the vision and he brought in the people to make it happen.”
Lest We Forget President Larry Wozniak says Alsbro had an enthusiasm for history and was a great asset to the community.
Dale Hemphill, a friend of Alsbro’s, tells us the two of them took a lot of trips together, meeting Medal of Honor recipients and the last surviving World War I veteran. Hemphill says Alsbro was “quite a guy” and that the two had a lot of great times.
Lest We Forget’s Ray Damaski adds Alsbro was “big on education,” having taught at Lake Michigan College, and a “bonding agent who brought people together.”
Alsbro will be honored at the Lest We Forget Tiscornia Beach landing on June 22.
A celebration of life will be held Monday at Starks Funeral home in St Joseph. You can find Alsbro‘s obituary at the Starks website.
