Rich Stroner poses with a historic banner on display in the American Legion Post 191 Legion Hall in downtown Webster City. Stroner, who led an extensive overhaul of the Post’s facilities, wishes to recognize the following people and businesses who worked with him on the project: Bill Baldwin, Dave Bergeson, the late Dan Brown, Debbi Jaycox, Lynn Jaycox, Jamie Seiser, Diane Stroner, Rylan Stroner, Steve Struchen, the late Randy Youngdale, Jasper Home Furnishings (Patricia & Richard Riech); Stein Plumbing & Heating and Widick Roofing & Construction.

If you’ve lived in Webster City during the last 40 years and don’t know Rich Stroner, you haven’t been paying attention.

Master electrician. Educator. School board member and, later, board president. Boy Scout leader and mentor. Volunteer. Soldier.

Stroner has been all these things, but it’s that last one — soldier — that formed his character. Today, he retires as post commander of Webster City’s American Legion Post 191, a position he’s held since 2018.

His successor, Dave Gordon, will be sworn in as commander this evening.

It was the $90 million expansion of WCI Laundry Division (later Frigidaire and Electrolux) that brought the Stroner family to Webster City in 1985. Stroner, who learned his trade as an electronics technician in the Air Force, was hired as plant facilities engineer. It was a time of great promise in Webster City, a time when one of our most successful local manufacturers had a real shot at competing in the world market with new state-of-the-art laundry appliances.

Alas, it was not to be.

By 1997 it was clear that, despite the best efforts of many good people, Electrolux was under pressure to move its manufacturing to Mexico. Seeing this, Stroner reluctantly left Webster City, a place he and his family had come to love. He took a position in Missouri, then subsequently at Pella Corporation.

Retirement in 2015 afforded him the possibility of living wherever he wanted — a golf resort in Arizona, a retirement community in Florida or the hills of northwestern Arkansas were never a serious option for the Stroners. They always knew they’d come home to Webster City.

It should come as no surprise the rocking chair has no appeal to Stroner. He was elected to Webster City district school board in 2017 and rejoined American Legion Post 191 where he had previously been a member. He was elected first vice commander of the Post in 2017, then post commander in November 2018.

He has held that position through today.

Stroner was part of the group of Legionnaires who bought the building next door to the Legion Hall to improve its facilities, expand membership, and provide an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-compliant restroom.

Over the following 14 months, the two buildings were connected with a fire door; a new bar and lounge was built on the main floor. The bar had previously been in the basement of the old Legion Hall. The aforementioned ADA-compliant restroom was added. Utilities — electrical, plumbing and HVAC — were completely replaced. The main Legion Hall got a new ceiling, lighting and flooring.

The new facilities opened in June 2019.

The bar, designed by Lynn Jaycox and Steve Struchen, is made of hardwood from Webster City Bowl and is fitted-out with luxurious bar stools. The walls of the lounge are decorated with “Legion license plates” from American Legion posts across the country, including those from Delano, California; Swissvale, Pennsylvania; Ovid, New York; and Dandalk, Maryland.

“Most of them have been brought back by our members traveling across the country,” Stroner said.

Beginning in summer 2020, a commercial-grade kitchen was installed with a new gas griddle and burners, reconditioned convection oven, new exhaust hood, new kitchen cabinets and new stainless steel preparation tables. Kept spotlessly clean by men and women who probably logged untold hours of K.P. duty, it’s both beautiful and efficient.

In 2021, the back room, informally called “the round table room,” was remodeled. Today, it’s the site of cribbage and Hand & Foot games beginning at 3 p.m. every Monday. Anyone can join a game there; you need not be an American Legion member.

“This facility is rented at least once a month,” Stroner said. “It costs $300 for the entire building. The Legion and Hall, which accommodates 60, can be rented for $200, or the Round Table Room, seating 42, for $150.” Phone the American Legion at 515-832-2087 for details on renting any of these facilities for a private event.

If you’re interested in Webster City history, and especially the history of its famous Boy Scout Troop 17, you owe it to yourself to visit the basement of the Legion Hall. Like the rest of the facilities, the space, now unofficially “the scout room,” has been completely remodeled. Stroner, who’s been involved in Boy Scouts for more than 20 years, led the effort.

Filled with historic artifacts of Troop 17, which was founded in 1918, it has a large storage closet where the troop stores its cooking and camping gear. It also provides a large, comfortable meeting room with a kitchen. It’s the official home of the troop today. It’s the lineal descendant to South Building, where the troop had its headquarters in the attic for many years.

Fun fact: Webster City troops 17 and 2 have produced 100 Eagle Scouts over the years. The first was Glen Olmstead in 1918; the most recent was Landon Vaughn in 2022. Both of Rich and Diane Stroner’s sons — Eric and Brian — are on that list.

Post 191 has sponsored Troop 17 for many years.

“Supporting scouts and scouting has always been one of the tenets of the American Legion,” Stroner said.

The new scout room is the latest manifestation of that support.

Asked about the state of scouting in Webster City today, Stroner said, “Scouting has fallen off due to both parents needing to work to support their family. Today, there are all kinds of summer sports camps that compete with traditional, summertime scouting activities. There’s a lot of competition for a student’s time.”

Troop 17 today has only seven members, but Stroner says the future is bright.

“Our Cub Scout Pack 583 is coming on strong. There are 20-some Cub Scouts; three will cross over to Troop 17 in March.”

Some readers may not know that girls are admitted to Troop 17 these days. Reflecting this new reality, on February 8, 2025, the Boy Scouts of America will officially become “Scouting America.”

“Growing up in scouting you learn duty, responsibility and life-long skills not taught in schools today,” Stroner said. “With our new facility and dedicated parents who volunteer their time, there’s a real opportunity for scouting to grow in Webster City.”

Explaining the strong, natural bonds veterans have for each other, Stroner said, “Post 191 is a fraternity of people who raised their right hand and pledged to defend the Constitution of the United States. They were fully aware they were signing a blank check that could result in them losing their life.”

Today, Stroner maintains the military bearing, soft voice and respectful demeanor that are the unmistakable hallmarks of service men and women, and veterans. And, at age 75, he may soon qualify for a new rank: that of “Old soldier.”