Thelma Freese

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Thelma Ashlock Freese, 91, of East Prairie died Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011, at East Prairie Nursing Center.

She was born May 6, 1919, in East Prairie, to J.H. and Odie Barker Ashlock. Following her graduation from East Prairie High School, she enrolled in St. Mary's School of Nursing in Cairo, Ill. She completed a post graduate course at St. Louis University School of Nursing, received a bachelor of science degree at Denver University in Colorado and then received a master's degree at the University of Minnesota.

On May 8, 1942, she was inducted into the U.S. Army Nurses Corps, where she was a nurse 33 years. Completing a course in administration at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, she served as a nurse in the United States, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Germany, France, Korea 1960 44th MASH, Korea chief nursing consultant to Korean Army Nurse Corps 1964, Vietnam Da Nang TET Counteroffensive 1967, Vietnam Da Nang CO Phase IV, Vietnam Da Nang CO Phase V and Europe 1972 to 1974.

She was awarded the Distinguished Unit Emblem, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, seven Overseas Service Bars, Republic Liberation Campaign Medal W/60 Device, Vietnam Service Medal W/1st OLC, Bronze Star medal and Legion of Merit. She also received citations for meritorious service as director of the Medical Specialist Advanced School at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston; Certificate of Achievement for outstanding performance of duty as educational coordinator, nursing service, Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco.

From April 1960 until December 1961 she served as chief nurse of the 44th MASH Hospital in Korea. She spearheaded the effort to establish an orphanage to provide medical assistance and a home for orphans that also taught basic education and some sort of skill. During her second tour of duty in Korea, 1965-1966, she taught in the Seoul National University and developed a three-year program with the requirement that the government pay the cost of the education and upon graduation the nurses be required to serve in the Army. In addition to the nursing program, she established a program to train enlisted men to help the nurses provide patient care. The program was paid for by the government and required the graduates to remain in the service and function as medical and surgical corpsmen.

She served as director of the 95th Evacuation Hospital in Da Nang, Vietnam. Following her service in Vietnam, she was appointed chief nursing consultant for the U.S. Army, Europe and Seventh Army.

She ranked in the top 5 percent of the Army Nurse Corps efficiency reports, retiring March 28, 1975. She returned to East Prairie in 1976 and was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston, Mo.

Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Leo "Toots" Allen and Joyce Staples of East Prairie; a sister-in-law, Patty Ashlock Mulkey of Decatur, Ala.; three nieces, Jennifer (Dennis) Bible of Imperial, Mo., Nickie Taylor of Decatur, and Roxiann Woody of Cape Girardeau; a nephew, Lee (Kandi) Staples of East Prairie; five great-nephews; and three great-great-nieces and nephew.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by two brothers, J.B. Ashlock and Kelly Ashlock, and a sister, Maxine Kitchen.

Private graveside rites were held Jan. 22, 2011, at IOOF Cemetery in Charleston.

A memorial service is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. An Army chaplain from Fort Leonard Wood will officiate, with retired Col. Denny Hilton, USMC, of Cabot, Ark., serving as eulogist. The flag of the United States will be presented to her family in honor of her military service by Fort Leonard Wood Funeral Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Mississippi County Veterans Memorial or East Prairie Historical High School, and addressed to P.O. Box 206, East Prairie, MO 63845.