“My mother was quite a seamstress. She taught all five of us boys how to sew on on an old treadle (foot powered) sewing machine,” said Kilmer.

Now days, he is most often mending torn flags flown by veterans organizations and other entities.

“I don’t charge them anything. I’m a veteran, I think that’s the right thing to do. I like to help people. That’s how I was brought up,” Kilmer said. “I started pulling weeds in bean fields at age 12. As a high school senior, I milked cows early at 5 a.m. every morning and late in the evening.”

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1956. He served on the USS Russell County (LST 1090 tank landing ship) and sewed patches on Navy uniforms and repaired flags on the ship after they were torn. I bought my own sewing machine and brought it aboard ship,” he said.

Submitted photo Daryl Kilmer built this horse-drawn buggy and horse harnesses pictured in an area parade.

Kilmer said his shipboard duty included transporting South Korean refugees aboard ship.

After four years in the Navy, he was discharged as a Petty Officer Second Class Electrician and was a lay chaplain, supplying emotional and spiritual support to military members.

After the Navy, Kilmer farmed for eight years with diary cows, hogs, sheep and grew corn, beans, alfalfa and oats. He began doing upholstery and sewing work at night.

Over the years, Kilmer overcame a number of challenges that caused him pause his passion for flag sewing and upholstery work that included rebuilding car seats and toy trains, farm machinery, horse harnesses and horse-drawn buggies.

In 1965, he got spinal meningitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord that can be life threatening.

Submitted photo New Madelia police officer Daryl Kilmer is pictured here at age 30 in 1968 in the Madelia Times Messenger.

“I showed them I could survive it, I guess. I sold out but became good friends with the Madelia police chief,” Kilmer said. “There was a strike in Madelia and police were short of help in 1968. The police chief came to my house on a Saturday morning. I was sleeping at the time. He grabbed my hand and said ‘stand up and hold up your right hand. I looked at him like he was crazy. He told me I was now on the Madelia Police Department. Here’s your gun and belt and you’re going to work. He swore me into the police force right in my house. I trained with a handgun and (semi automatic) rifle in the Navy.”

Kilmer said the 1968 riots happened after a union strike caused the closure of a Mankato electronics shop that moved to Madelia.

“Rioters came from as far away as Chicago. It got pretty rough for a while. Farmers, the Civil Air Patrol, the Watonwan County Sheriff’s Departments, sheriff and police reserves and Madelia’s three police officers got involved. A woman with bricks in a purse hit one guy, knocking him out for a while. We had some pretty big guys, mostly on foot. I got a few bumps and bruises. We made sure we always had two guys in police cars in case someone showed up. We arrested quite a few people and took them to Blue Earth and Brown County Jails. We rode hard for about a week before it quieted down,” he said.

Kilmer was a Madelia police officer for eight years.

About a decade ago, he lost his upholstery business in a fire but a friend who needed truck seats repaired, led him to a new shop where he continued the business he began in 1960.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Daryl Kilmer, right, holds a large U.S. flag he will repair at the Brown County Chapter 15 Disabled American Veterans (DAV) site in New Ulm. Kilmer has repaired 32 feet by 19 feet flags flown at Perkins Family Restaurant and on Brown County Highway 27 just east of Sleepy Eye. Kilmer’s wife Joann, who often assists him, is pictured at right.

“Dennis Arduser of Madelia drove into my farmyard the morning after the fire. He told me he promised a guy he would repair two truck seats by the next day. I said don’t worry about it. I have a key to another shop with a sewing machine and finished the seats that afternoon.”

“I still sew most things I want to do, but not leather any more. When I find old toys that need repair, I make parts for them and put them back together,” he said.

Nearly 88, Kilmer said he still feels pretty good and enjoys keeping busy.

“I don’t drink or smoke. My wife Joann still helps me a lot,” said Kilmer, who is the New Ulm Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chaplain in New Ulm besides repairing flags.

He recently received a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition and sincere appreciation of outstanding service and assistance that contributed to the advancement of American Legion programs and activities dedicated to God and country.

Submitted photo Daryl “Red” Kilmer of Madelia is pictured with horse harness equipment and a wooden horse he created in his upholstery shop.

Submitted photo Daryl Kilmer built this wooden horse is pictured.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Kilmer said he loves to build things. His products include weather vanes