When Keith Hegstrom hits the street as parade grand marshal on Tuesday, July 4, heíll be among elite company.

Newspaper records over the past 41 years contain the names of the past grand marshals and the names are those of mayors, police chiefs, county commissioners, sheriffs, long-time business owners, and even a former vice president of the United States.

Hegstrom has been selected by American Legion Post 225 as this yearís parade grand marshal. The following is a list of past parade dignitaries starting in 1965.

ï1965 ó Frank Arndt, retired mail carrier.

ï1966 ó Dr. George M. Ruggles, local medical doctor.

ï1967 ó Reub Grantquist, former Washington County Sheriff.

ï1968 ó Information not available.

ï1969 ó Jere Noreen, mayor and business owner.

ï1970 ó Hubert H. Humphrey, former U.S. Vice President and United States Senator.

ï1971 ó J. James Gessell, mayor.

ï1972 ó Floyd Cohoes, high school principal.

ï1973 ó Jim Crawford, chief of Minnesota State Patrol.

ï1974 ó Dave Moore, WCCO television.

ï1975 ó Norman J. Aveson, state Legion commander.

ï1976 ó Fred J. Williams, 1928 Legion parade chair.

ï1977 ó Idor Pederson, county commissioner.

ï1978 ó Dr. C.D. Larson, first Post 225 Commander.

ï1979 ó Bob Kurtz, WTCN television.

ï1980 ó Robert ìPorkyî McMillen and Rollin G. Johnson.

ï1981 ó Ray Coy, Legion volunteer and business owner.

ï1982 ó Harold Ronning, Legion volunteer and business owner.

ï1983 ó Rollin Nelson, former high school band director.

ï1984 ó Sherman Gordon, business owner.

ï1985 ó Patrick Gaughan, business owner.

ï1986 ó Stan Petersen, retired director of community education, ISD 831.

ï1987 ó Archie Mattson, business owner.

ï1988 ó Warren Bud Johnson, business owner.

ï1989 ó Rev Leonard Anderson, local pastor and friend of the Legion and VFW.

ï1990 ó Ted Houle, decorated W.W. II veteran and business owner.

ï1991 ó Willard Houle, business owner.

ï1992 ó Milton ìMitzî Setterholm, business owner.

ï1993 ó Dr. C.D. Larson, age 100 in 1993, only two-time parade grand marshal.

ï1994 ó Charlie Moxness, Legion volunteer and business official.

ï1995 ó Walter Mueller, Legion volunteer.

ï1996 ó George Zeiher, Legion volunteer.

ï1997 ó Art Black, Legion volunteer and past Commander.

ï1998 ó Clarence Lien, Legion volunteer, decorated prisoner of war from W.W. II.

ï1999 ó John Israelson, Legion volunteer.

ï2000 ó Don Kotchen, Legion volunteer.

ï2001 ó Dick Carter, Legion volunteer.

ï2002 ó Robert Flaherty, Legion volunteer and past state Legion commander.

ï2003 ó Don Skow, Legion volunteer.

ï2004 ó Dave Schwartz. retired Forest Lake chief of police

ï2005 ó Louie Flermoen, Legion volunteer.

ï2006 ó Keith Hegstrom, Legion and VFW volunteer.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605