By James Windell
It was a Beacon profile of Vietnam War veteran Albert Anthony that set the wheels – or, more accurately – the fingers of Chri Brenner in motion.
An article that commemorated the war experiences of South Havern’s Albert Anthony that appeared in an April edition of the South Haven Beacon got Cheri Brenner to thinking.
“I graduated with Albert in 1964 from South Haven High School, but haven’t seen him since,” Brenner recently said. “The article made me want to do something special to honor him for serving his country.”
Brenner, a long-time quilter, decided to make a quilt to honor her old classmate. When she recently finished it, she planned with Anthony’s friends to surprise him with a reunion of other 1964 South Haven High School graduates as well as teammates, and present him with the patriotic quilt. That surprise get-together took place at the American Legion Post 49 in South Haven on October 14, 2025.
Anthony, who is 80, and in fragile health, was surprised to see so many of his friends from high school and he enjoyed swapping stories about their adventures – and a few misadventures – during their high school days.
The highlight of the informal reunion was the presentation of the red, white and blue artfully crafted quilt by Brenner. In a card that accompanied the quilt, Brenner wrote that the sewing of the quilt was her way of remembering Anthony’s going “above and beyond in serving his country” in Vietnam, where he was seriously wounded.
Overcome by his emotions after unwrapping the quilt, Anthny thanked Brenner for the wonderful quilt and while wiping tears from his eyes he thanked several people who he said were “responsible for my being alive today.”
