Judy and Gus Wilgus – THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Judy and Gus Wilgus Veteran Story
Judy and Gus Wilgus have a unique and heartwarming story that lasts a lifetime. Judy, a former Army nurse from Jackson, Michigan, and Gus, a former special forces from Southern Maryland, were both serving in the United States Army when they first met. Their love story quickly blossomed, leading to their marriage in October of 1961. From then on, they built a life filled with love, adventure, and fulfillment. Together, they raised two daughters, pursued higher education, found successes beyond the military, and traveled extensively across the United States, landing them in several different places. No matter where they went, they always found joy in their journey. Their story is a testament to making the most of life and finding happiness in every moment.
Their story begins in the PX parking lot at Fort Bragg, North Carolina when they were first introduced by mutual friends. Gus had just come back from Laos and had been over there for close to a year when he returned. “There was this group of friends of mine and, and Judy was with them, and I asked who that was. And somebody said, ‘Well, that’s Judy Conway. She’s a new army nurse,’” he said. “I asked if she dated anybody and a friend of mine said ‘Oh, I was thinking of asking her out’ and I said, ‘I’m going to do that first.’ So, I decided to cut off his thinking and ask her out. That was it.”
From her youth, Judy had always wanted to be in the military because of her dad’s service and went to nursing school with that intention. “I went in under the auspices of the military when I went to nursing school,” she said. “So that was three years at Mount Carmel Hospital School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio, from 1957 and I graduated in 1960.” Immediately following, Judy went right into the military. She worked as a med surge nurse at Womack Army Hospital at Fort Bragg in Germany. She also worked in a dispensary in Stuttgart in Germany until she was separated from the military due to pregnancy. Judy and Gus had their first daughter soon after in 1963 and her second in 1965.
Gus enlisted at 19 years old in 1954 as a private. His reason though, was different. “I was struggling a little bit with college and so the army seemed to be a good place to go and see what I could figure out,” he said. “It just seemed to fit for me.” A year and a half later in 1957, he was given was commissioned as a second lieutenant and went to officer’s training school. Gus served in Laos, Vietnam; Iceland; Korea; and Germany. “I just did everything: infantry, airborne infantry and special forces,” he said. Gus served for just over 20 years and retired in 1976 as a lieutenant colonel.
After leaving the military, the two decided to further their education and go back to school. “We both got Master of Arts in Health Education in 1979 in Colorado,” Judy said. “In 1986, I graduated from Emporia State University in Kansas with a Master of Science.” They then went on to have careers: Judy in various nursing jobs, and Gus in the chemical dependency field. Post-army life also took the family on many adventures, both living in various states as well as traveling in a trailer across the West Coast. “We liked to travel, and one of the big things when he retired, we had talked about going around the United States in a travel trailer,” she said. “We started in Western Canada, touring the Columbia glacier and ice fields, and then went to Chelan, Washington, where we were apple pickers. We traveled down the Oregon coast, stopping at campgrounds, and spent our first Christmas 1996 in San Diego on the beach. We homeschooled our daughters with lessons sent from their teachers in White Beat Lake, Minnesota.”
One thing that Judy and Gus remember through their endeavors, was that no matter where they and their daughters were, they always made the most of every experience. “Everywhere we went, we got out and did things,” Judy said. “But we always had a good time, traveling here and there.” Gus said, “I think that’s probably the best thing was how much we were able to enjoy the outdoors, go places, and do things.”
Looking back on their life with each other and their family, they savored every moment. “Wherever we’ve been, we always found a way to make it enjoyable,” she said.
After four years of serving, he returned to work for a few years before relocating to Massachusetts, where he resided for a decade. In the early 1990s, he moved back to Oregon, settling in Gresham. Approximately 20 years ago, he made another move, this time to Happy Valley. There, he became involved in local governance, first serving on the Planning Commission for around six years. In 2011, he was appointed to the City Council, and later, in 2018, he was elected to the position of mayor of Happy Valley.
Mayor Tom Ellis has led a remarkable life serving his country and community. From his early days in the Coast Guard, where he traveled the globe, to his current role as the mayor, Ellis has always approached his duties with commitment. Reflecting on his experiences, he cherishes the memories of his service. While he may not have seen combat like some of his fellow veterans, Ellis found fulfillment in his many encounters, never harboring regrets. “It’s something I can look back on and be proud of,” he said. “And I’m too old now, but if they called me and asked, ‘You want to go to Antarctica?’ I couldn’t get on the plane fast enough.”