COLUMN: From one soldier to another, a flag gift

It’s not often you can walk into a store and have your purchase paid for by someone else.

Nor would you expect it.

But on June 30, Catherine “Kitty” Rhodes from Columbia Falls walked into Lowe’s in Kalispell looking for a fabric American flag of certain size.

She intended to place it on her husband’s grave.

Will Sandson, the safety and hazardous-materials manager for Lowe’s, helped her, saying, “We have them. We’ll find them,” and mentioned that he had the same flag in his office.

They found the flag, but it wasn’t mounted on a staff. Sandson said he had some extra staffs in the store and offered to secure the flag on one for her. He then walked with her to the check-out and personally paid for the American flag as well as a flag representing her husband’s unit.

While shopping for and then having the flag mounted, Rhodes learned that Sandson had served in the U.S. Air Force for four years in Germany and is currently serving in the Montana National Guard.

She mentioned that her husband had also served in the Montana National Guard, and that their son and daughter had also served in Germany.

What she didn’t mention was that her husband joined the Guard at age 17 and served a total of 34 years before joining the Reserves and later retiring at age 60 — nor that he was Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Rhodes and had served 27 years with the Sheriff’s Office. He died in May 2014 at age 79.

Sandson has been with the Montana National Guard for two years and plans to continue serving.

He said Lowe’s has been great to work for and very understanding and accommodating of his schedule.

When Sandson insisted on paying for her purchase, Rhodes said, “But you also served. You’re going to make me cry.”

Sandson told her it was his way of paying tribute to and thanking those who have served before him.

“That was so much above and beyond the call of duty,” Rhodes said. “Thank you, Will, and thank you Lowe’s for hiring employees like Will!”

Community editor Carol Marino may be reached at 758-4440 or by email at community@dailyinterlake.com.