On March 1, 2026, Captain Raymond “Ray” Pelster, along with four other veterans, was awarded a Quilt of Valor (QOV) by the QOV Piecing Patriots group in Brighton, Colorado.
The mission of Quilts of Valor is to ‘cover service members and veterans touched by war with healing and comforting quilts’.
Ray and his wife, Janice (Benda), grew up in the Elgin area. They were married June 7, 1958. Ray received his commission upon graduating from Iowa State College in June 1959. Ray served the United States Army from 1960 to 1963 during the Vietnam era. After being discharged from active duty Ray served as a Captain in the Colorado Army Reserves unit until 1965.
Ray and Janice settled in Denver, Colo., and now have five children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. They still have many family members and friends in the Elgin area.
The Piecing Patriots are just one of more than a thousand QOV groups across America! Interested persons are invited to nominate a veteran, join a QOV sew group or donate to the QOV mission!
For more information about how to nominate a veteran in your area, contact WeSew4Vets@PiecingPatriots.com.
