JCC Veterans Day Recognition Honors Local Veterans
Tue 11-9-2021
(Jackson)- Veterans were honored at JCC High School today before the pep rally for the volleyball team at 12:30. One veteran shared his story.
During the JCC Veterans Day recognition following the parade, Merrill Eggestein talked about his time in the military and back at home. After enlisting in 1960 with a few friends, he traveled around the world from participating in the Cuba blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis, being a baker in Okinawa, to serving in Vietnam. Due to what he learned in the military, when he came home, he decided to open a bakery which he had in Duluth for over 20 years. He now works at Jackson County High School and says he isn't ready to retire yet...
“In working with school kids, it keeps you perked up. They're always happy and laughing and things you know.”
Now he works at the school in the winter and is a beekeeper in the summer, which he says keeps both his mind and his body busy.
Eggestein is also a graduate of the school, graduating from Jackson High School in 1961...
“I joined in November just before Thanksgiving in 1960. And I graduated from Jackson High School in 1961.”
He also explained why he joined up with the military in the first place...
“When I first got out of High School, I knew I didn't want to stay at home farming, or anything else. I really had to no clue what the future was as far as what I could do. There was no such thing as a low tech school like there is now. So I figured the best way for me to go was to go into the service, and find out what life is all about what we really want to do and that's kind of where I stayed.”