Jim Stroyan Named Valley Grand Marshal

Chewelah native Jim Stroyan, 74, has been named a Grand Marshal for the Valley Community Fair Parade as a member of the Chewelah American Legion Post 54 and part of the honored Chewelah Color Guard. The parade is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, at noon in Valley. Although Stroyan received special recognition for serving 50 years as a member of the Chewelah Color Guard – making him the longest continuously participating member – the title of Grand Marshal is shared with the VFW (The Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 2047, American Legion Post 54, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of the American Legion of the Chewelah Color Guard and its members.

Other honored veterans who will be marching alongside Stroyan include Ben and Sally Paramore, Keith Brown, Donna Meyer, Doug Stolp, Zack West, and Andy Michaud. Stroyan said he served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1974 as a Pershing Missile Sergeant stationed in Germany specializing in nuclear weapons. When asked what serving his country meant to him, Stroyan reflected on his gratitude.

“Giving back to a country that has given me so much. That is one reason why I participate in the color guard and the memorial services.” Stroyan’s understanding of the color guard and its purpose is integral to his values.

“The ceremony with the flags reminds us to remember those who served and to remember the great country we live in.” He said his desire to join the color guard was twofold; he was inspired by a friend and wanted to honor his father. “I became involved (in the color guard) after being discharged in 1974. (I was) encouraged by Jim Mach, a very special man, who worked at the VFW in Chewelah.

Also, because I wanted to do it with my dad. He was a World War II veteran. That’s why being in the color guard and cemetery memorial services is very important to me.” The color guard can leave a lasting impression on the community, Stroyan said, such as creating a legacy for himself and others. He recalled the value of serving as a color guard member. “It is important to me because of legacy, especially with my dad’s legacy.

I have many good memories of my dad and I along with other veterans doing the parades and memorial services on memorial weekend.” He added, “Also, as a non-combat veteran, my participation in these events is something I can do to honor all those who were in combat and sacrificed so much.” Stroyan also talked about how he has made a positive impact as a member of the color guard.

“We’ve done a lot of different things over the years. Some days we go to different cemeteries and do a 21-gun salute. I love sharing shells with children. After we shoot the shells, they collect them for whistles. It’s fun to watch. My children and grandchildren usually come up since I’ve been doing this for a long time, and they participate with me and take pictures. So, that’s special for me, too.” Stroyan’s career as a history teacher and his commitment to education underscores his belief that understanding the past is vital for shaping the future.

“I became a history teacher because of my love for history and wanted to share my knowledge with my students and now reminding the younger generations that our flag still flies, and to understand its history.” The color guard is an extension of this education, he added, in that “it makes a tradition out of it because the kids can see that these adults are very serious to display the American flag, the Washington State flag, and the VFW flag, and what each flag means.” Stroyan explained the process of presenting the flags at each event.

“In the color guard we prepare ourselves by getting the flags organized. There are nine flags we can take, but most of the time we have around seven flags being displayed.” The presenting of the colors is a very important part of the procedure and one that the team takes seriously, he said. “We are very careful and protective of the flags because that is our responsibility.”

According to Stroyan, those responsibilities include the proper care of the flags and how they are folded. The color guard or honor guard folds the flag into a strict 13-fold triangle during the presentation of the burial flags at military funerals. Stroyan said he was born and raised in Chewelah and has moved several times throughout the years due to teaching jobs, taking him to multiple points of eastern Washington including Hunters, Chattaroy, and Spokane.

He said he and his wife, Kathy, have been married for 36 years and have two children, Jason and Stacie Lerch. They met on a blind date set up by a friend. When asking Stroyan how he felt about the special recognition for his service to his community through the Chewelah Color Guard, he said he was humbled. “I feel so honored to be recognized, for 50 years, and honored to be recognized as part of the wonderful group of color guard individuals, and I feel humbled knowing all these people who have been honored in the past.