Dutch woman seeks relatives of deceased WWII soldiers

Lili Pasteur is a woman on a mission.

The retired physical therapist from The Netherlands wants to pay special tribute to the Americans — especially the Montanas — who freed her country from the Nazis in World War II. And she wants to spread the word.

Last week, the Dutch celebrated the 70th anniversary of the liberation of The Netherlands from Nazi Germany. at the end of World War II.

In the southern part of the county is a massive cemetery donated by The Netherlands and it citizens to the United States as a final resting place for more than 8,000 Americans soldiers and members of the Army Air Force who gave their lives in freeing the Netherlands.

A foundation was set up to take care of the cemetery, and people were urged to sign up to adopt a grave — making sure that the graves they adopted would forever be kept up with flowers and new Dutch and American flags every year.

People are still urged to sign up to adopt a grave, but they will have to wait their turn. Seventy years later, there is still a waiting list.

That’s where Lili Pasteur comes in.

She has adopted the 64 graves of Montanans who gave their lives. Not by accident, she says, but because she has fallen in love with Big Sky Country.

The Montana deceased soldiers whose home counties are not known are:

Staff Sgt. Peter Fager

Staff Sgt. William Guse

Pfc. Francis Martin

Pvt. William Morang

First Lt. William Plummer

Pfc. Rudollo Rodrigus

Tech Spec. Fox Bush

2nd Lt. Alfred Stepman

Tech Sgt. John Trauman

Sgt. Theodore Violette

Pfc. Howard Whitney

The deceased soldiers from Blaine County are:

Pfc. Geroge Knutsen

Pfc. Charles O’Leary

The deceased soldier from Phillips County is:

Technician 5th Class Walter Harper

Anyone who is a relative to — or has any information on — any of the Montanans or, especially, the three from Blaine or Phillips counties, are urged to contact Lili Pasteur at [email protected]