“At one time I had four sons in the military, but all the soldiers – not just my children – fight for our country,” said Johnnie Sevier, 79.
For more than 40 years, Sevier has attempted to do her part in repaying the debt owed to those who have served on the battlefield through her work in the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Veterans Home – known to most as AMVETS.
“There were so many people who got injured,” said Sevier. “And I feel like the work we do volunteering for the American Veterans Home is a good thing to do.”
She’s been president of AMVETS Post 67 Ladies Auxiliary in North St. Louis for the past 19 years and was reelected again last month. Sevier also served as president for the entire state of Missouri’s AMVETS Lady Auxiliary for 2014.
During her tenure for the year-long post, she traveled throughout the state lending her leadership, guidance and expertise to other AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary posts.
She was only the third black president for the state in the history of the Missouri AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary.
“I went to towns where there were no black people – and they didn’t want us there,” Sevier said. “But I worked at Barnes Hospital at a time when patients didn’t like black people. We can’t control what people like and dislike. All I can do is pray on it and keep doing what I do.”
The organization raises money for college scholarships, travel expenses for on-duty soldiers and other AMVETS programming. On behalf of her post, Sevier recently organized a raffle that allowed her to present a check for $1,571 to be applied to the needs of the Ladies Auxiliary.
But the element of service that is the most near and dear to Sevier’s heart is spending time with the disabled veterans confined to AMVETS housing.
“We try to make them feel like they are not forgotten,” Sevier said. “And that makes me feel good to know that I’m letting them know that we care about them and the sacrifice they made for our country.”
The retired nurse often relies on the experience she gathered over 34 years in the Psychiatric Department of Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
“They get so depressed,” Sevier said. “By me working at Barnes, I learned a lot about depression and it’s something that you don’t just get over overnight. They saw things they never thought they would see. Like my son. He went in when he was 16, and he would have to bring the bodies out. He would say, ‘Mama, that’s really a sad situation, bringing those bodies out.”
Her sons followed in the footsteps of their father in pursuing military service.
The mother of eight sounded as if sees a bit of her late husband – and her sons – when she talked about the special moments she shared with residents of the Veterans Home.
She shared how she met the special request of an invalid veteran by whipping up a pot of barbequed neck bones.
“Sometimes a little time means a whole lot to a person who is sick and shut in – and that’s what I enjoy about taking care of sick people,” Sevier said. “It is a very big part of the healing process.”
As she spoke of her own experiences with AMVETS over the years, she couldn’t help but issue a plea for volunteers for her beloved organization – with the disclaimer that the work is only for those extremely serious about answering the call to be of service.
“They need someone to show that they care about them,” Sevier said, “and for people to let them know that they appreciate what they’ve done for our country.”
Contact AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary at http://www.amvetsaux.org or 301-459-6255.
