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I think the term “celebration of life” absolutely nails
what happened on Jan. 30, 2021, for my dear friend
Bill Broadie in Ashland, Kansas.
Most of you know that no person has been the topic of this column for the past 20 years more than Bill Broadie. The old Marine, cattleman, father, patriot and kind soul worked relentlessly in every endeavor he pursued. The All American Beef Battalion was Bill’s vision from Day 1 and has changed the lives of everyone involved.
I remember the day that Bill called me and shared his vision, most of which was fueled by how he and other Vietnam veterans were treated upon their return from service. In his heart, he knew what it was like to be smeared and really just disrespected for following orders. I really saw personal healing on his part during the 13 years he orchestrated serving steaks to the troops. As the years and meals stacked up, many of us witnessed how Bill went from rarely talking about Vietnam to frequently sharing about the experience.
As one who has never served but wants to find a way to say thank you and try to help, Bill’s effort did wonders. While I did miss the very first All American Beef Battalion feed, to be fair so did Bill, I had no idea what to expect at the Colorado National Guard feed on July 3, 2008. What I found were individuals who were willing to do any thing at any time for our country.
For sharing those stories, interviewing people and verbally saying “thank you” to all who served through printed words and on the radio, I frequently got notes thanking me. People who have been home for 40 plus years told me “thank you, you make me finally feel welcomed home.” All I did was share the appreciation that millions have for the people who are responsible for maintaining our freedom.
Bill Broadie was driven and he was going to see it through. That is what made him a great cattle representative. That actually is what made him a great friend. He knew how to find the right person to get any task completed and, quite frankly, most of his tasks were geared at making other people feel good but that is what made him feel happy as well.
It was very humbling for me to be asked to say a few words at his celebration of life and an even greater honor to read the letter he wrote home from Vietnam to his parents in September 1967. Bill had plenty of reasons to feel sorry for himself in life. He went to combat a Kansas cowboy and came home a seasoned veteran with one leg and two purple hearts. Beyond all of that, he found a way to take the reins and make himself a true success story. I would be remiss if I did not share with you that he told me at least a hundred times that his success hinged upon his high school sweetheart, Linda, who was there when he got back and provided the guide rails through life when it got really foggy. Having those guide rails is essential for our prosperity.
I am confident you know that I could go on and on about my friendship with Bill Broadie but in summary I think what he had the ability to do, as well as anybody I know, was surround himself with great people. While there was no official count, we believe that people from at least a dozen states made their way to Ashland to pay tribute to Bill on this day. We all know you can’t take monetary wealth with you, but knowing that you made a huge difference in personally impacting thousands of lives then you’ve lived “Semper Fi.” May we all seek to emulate this life well-lived.
Editor’s note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at trentloos@gmail.com.
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