On Thursday, May 25, the 2017 Minnesota Veteran of the Year award was presented to Elizabeth Steele Whitbeck of Stillwater, Minnesota. The Women Veterans Initiative honors one extraordinary female Veteran annually who has honorably served in the United States Military, displays leadership, supports women Veteran issues and contributes to her Minnesota community. 

 

Whitbeck is not only an extraordinary female, but a 96-years-young Veteran. Her entire life story is an amazing lesson in courage, initiative and scholarship. In 1943 Whitbeck left her job as a school teacher in upstate New York and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. The organization was so new that it didn’t even have women’s uniforms yet. During basic training, the women were given men’s shirts and jackets to wear until a complete women’s uniform was sent. 

“Finally the rest of our uniforms arrived. Uniform standards became so specific that we had to wear Elizabeth Arden’s lipstick brand called ‘Montezuma Red’ because it matched the trim of our hats,” said Whitbeck. 

 

Once Whitbeck graduated from Boot camp and got her PFC (Private First Class) stripe, she served as an instrument flying instructor at Parris Island, South Carolina. Previously, there had only been one person – a man, who taught instrument flying. 

“We were the first ten women to teach instrument flying. Immediately we got organized and assigned ourselves shifts. We only had groups that were going to the Pacific. The first group I had was the bomber squadron. They were in their twenties and thirties and all had wives or girlfriends. They brought pictures of their families to show us and we became like sisters to them. After three months of training, they left for the real deal and there was not a dry eye when we said goodbye. We knew them so well, but never heard from them again,” said Whitbeck. 

 

After VE-Day, Whitbeck’s assignment changed to rehabilitation specialist in New York City, until discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1946. Although discharged, Whitbeck sustained her quest to continue a Marine Corps career and by the end of 1946, the name on the very first enlistment contract signed under the newly evolved force structure for women in the Marine Corps was Staff Sergeant Elizabeth Steele Whitbeck. She was a true pioneer who led the way in establishing a permanent role for women in the Marine Corps. 

 

Whitbeck’s public service didn’t stop after the Marine Corps. The Minnesota State Legislature recognized Elizabeth’s incredible dedication to volunteer work in 2008. She has provided multiple decades of volunteer service to a myriad of civic organizations, including the Girl Scouts, Parent-Teacher Associations, League of Women Voters, Women’s Club of Minneapolis, 5th Police Precinct, and many others. Additionally, for 38 years, Elizabeth served as Vice President and later a Board member with the Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library. 

 

In 1971 she persuaded the Minneapolis City Council to change a law that did not allow the sale of public property apart from real estate, which caused libraries to discard readable books. She successfully advocated for the vote to make an exception to the law for books and then she organized the first public book sale where thousands of books were sold in the first two hours. Her innovative advocacy had a profound impact, enabling public libraries to make books much more affordable to many people and creating a revenue stream that allowed libraries to purchase more books. 

 

After all these years Whitbeck’s core values remain unbroken and mirror the Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment. She continues to serve on the library committee at her assisted living residence. At the May 25th MDVA Women Veterans Conference held at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in Plymouth, Minnesota, she was asked if she was honored to be the Woman Veteran of the year.

“Honored? I’m over the moon,” Whitbeck said.