WESTVILLE — Three people will lead the Centennial Labor Day parade on Sept. 6.

Grand marshal will be Gary Delhaye; honorary marshal is Don Merlie; and Living Legacy Award winner is Don Hennette.

Delhaye

A native of Westville, Delhaye loves the village, its history, heritage and culture, and is an avid collector of Westville history and memorabilia.

He has held all officer positions with the Westville Lions Club, where he has been a member 20 years, and has served as the Labor Day parade chairman the last seven years.

Delhaye has been an active emergency medical technician since the late 1980s on the Westville Fire Department. He was on the department 15 years, reaching the rank of assistant chief.

For the past 15, he has worked in the field of occupational health and safety as a supervisor and trainer of OSHA regulations, as well as environmental management.

He graduated from Danville Area Community College, Illinois State University and Eastern Illinois University with degrees in education and a master’s degree in administration.

Delhaye also has been active in the past by coaching basketball, baseball and volleyball for the Westville school system. He will start his 20th year as a certified Illinois High School football official, and has officiated all levels from youth football to high school varsity games.

He served on the original committee to write the by-laws and rules as they pertain to the Village of Westville’s Zoning Ordinance and previously served as a member of the newly formed Zoning Board. He has served as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals as well as two stints as zoning administrator. He is also a member of the Westville Sportsman Club.

Delhaye, son of George and Sonna Delhaye, graduated from Westville High School in 1983. He worked all of his young adult life volunteering at the park, and was instrumental in bringing the first electronic scoreboard and press box to Sole Field.

He is married to Theresa Story Delhaye.

Merlie

Merlie is the son of Italian immigrants; his father came to Westville in 1915 to work in the mines.

He attended Westville Schools, graduating with the class of 1939, and enlisted at Chanute Field in 1940 with the Army Air Force. He graduated basic training as a pilot in 1943, and is remembered for buzzing Westville in his C-47 Transport plane in 1944.

A co-pilot, radioman and engineer, Merlie entered World War II in 1944 and was sent to England. He was assigned to the 441st Group -301 Squadron, and flew mainly supply missions. He was a co-pilot who had flown paratroopers at the invasion of Normandy and was shot down over Nazi-occupied Holland during Operation Market Garden.

His plane was hit by two German shells, setting the plane on fire. He landed the burning plane on a hill, and dragged his pilot to safety. The paratroopers also escaped.

Merlie is proud of his service to his country, but has never considered himself a war hero. He was also involved in the first squadron to drop supplies into Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. He retired as a lieutenant in the Army Air Forces.

After his military service, he graduated from the University of Illinois with a law degree in 1951. He joined the law team of Leo Burk and John Twomey, working there for more than 20 years. He also worked as the assistant state’s attorney in the mid 1970s.

He began his own practice in the late 1970s and retired in 2008; his son Michael eventually joined his law firm.

Merlie worked as the attorney for the village from the 1950s through the 1990s. He is a past Lions Club member, serving one term as president, and also served several years on the Vermilion County Airport Board. He is a life member of the Westville American Legion Post 51, already surpassing 50 years. Merlie served as judge advocate for the Westville American Legion, is a past member of the Westville Sportsman Club and current member of St. Mary’s Church.

Merlie and his wife Eleanor have four grown children.

Hennette

A native of Linton, Ind., Hennette moved to Westville in 1939 and attended Westville High School.

He joined the Navy at age 18. In 1946 he was on the Battleship Arkansas and served as a coxswain for military amphibian boats. He was stationed in the Pacific Ocean and witnessed two experimental test drops of the atomic bomb both from above and below the water. This experimental test was known as “Operation Crossroads.”

Hennette transferred many soldiers and generals from all branches of military service during “Operation Crossroads” to assess success and failures of the atomic bomb. He was also stationed on the U.S.S. Blue Ridge.

After receiving his honorable discharge, he entered the reserves on inactive status. He worked for FL Jacobs as a machine laborer for 13 years. After that, he became a self-employed electrician in Westville for more than 30 years.

He is a 60-year member of the Westville American Legion Post 51, serving as past commander, past 18th District commander, past 4th Division commander and a current member of Post 51 color guard, board member and finance secretary and officer.

Hennette is also a 50-year member of the American Legion 40 & 8 Club and serves as secretary.

He has been a member of St. Mary’s Church for more than 50 years.

He is married to Luella Thompson Hennette.

Hennette is one of the few remaining WWII veterans from Westville and can still be found at the Westville American Legion working tirelessly, attending meetings, repairing something that needs fixing, cooking and serving meals.