Veterans Day on Nov. 11 honors those who have served our country. For Marshall Ellis and Larry Leighton, that service didn’t end when they left the military. Today, they spend their mornings volunteering with Friends of Johnson County Library, a nonprofit that supports Library programs and connects the community to books and to each other.
Ellis was drafted in 1967 at age 23 and sent to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. “They called it Fort Lost in the Woods because it was hard to find,” he said. Seven weeks later, he re-enlisted for three years and was stationed in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.
“I guess I can say I’m a Vietnam veteran, but I wasn’t in Vietnam,” Ellis said. “I was lucky. Thailand was beautiful, the people were friendly and I had a good experience.”
Leighton joined the Air Force in 1961 while attending Texas A&M, then a military school. He served through 1964 during the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. “From the time I was eight, I was making model airplanes,” he said. “I wanted to be a pilot, but I couldn’t hear high frequencies. It probably saved my life. All the guys I knew from college ended up in Vietnam, and half of them didn’t return.”
Both men know how fortunate they were and share a deep respect for fellow veterans. “Those guys, I admire them more than anybody I’ve known,” Leighton said.
After Ellis’ wife, a nurse, passed away, he retired from banking and spent a few months traveling by car. “I don’t care to fly. Sorry Larry, I don’t care to fly,” he joked. When he returned home, he realized he needed something to fill his days. “I twiddled my thumbs for a few weeks and realized I had to do something.”
That something became the Library. For 11 years, Ellis has volunteered for the Friends, often sorting donated books and deciding which go to the bookstore and which are recycled. “It’s been good for me. I’m not sitting at home just watching TV,” he said. “And it’s important for people to have a place to bring books.”
Leighton began volunteering 15 years ago after retiring from Hallmark. He wanted work he could do on a computer, without public interaction. “I’m the unofficial supervisor for the people who list books online and ship the orders we sell,” he said.
“We try to be nice to him when he comes out to see us,” Ellis said with a grin. That kind of banter fills the warehouse. The teasing is easy, the kind that comes from years of showing up together.
For both men, volunteering is a place to belong.
“That’s what makes it worthwhile coming in every morning,” Ellis said. “Each shift is different, but it’s the people here."
Between the jokes and the sorting, there’s talk of books. Ellis reads mysteries, most recently by Daniel Silva. Leighton enjoys crime fiction by Louise Penny and history by David McCullough.
Johnson County Library offers veterans and the community many ways to learn and connect, from book clubs and events to job support, genealogy tools and access to military records through Fold3 Library Edition. Thousands of photos, newspapers and maps are available through JoCoHistory, and the eLibrary provides courses and learning tools.
Volunteering may often be behind the scenes, but it’s far from quiet. Ellis and Leighton make sure of that. They still serve — just here at home, where their time and effort help keep a community connected.
To learn more about Friends of Johnson County Library and volunteer opportunities, visit friendsofjcl.org.
