NASHVILLE — When William “Bill” Summerlin passed away on Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day, his family had no idea that he had been awarded a medal for his service during World War II. 

His daughter, Mary Keeffe, said she only discovered it when going through his papers. She found what is known as a DD-214, which lists the service record for anyone who served in the United States Military.

That paper showed that Summerlin had earned a World War II Victory Medal, which was awarded to those who served in the armed forces between Dec. 7, 1941 and Dec. 31, 1946.

While Summerlin had been awarded the medal, he had never actually received it.

“None of the children knew about it,” Keeffe said. “Momma didn’t even know. He never told us, never said anything about it. He was just that kind of private man, so it was a shock to us, to find that. But that’s just how humble he was.”

The family showed the DD-214 to Eugene Molisee, American Legion Post 115 commander, who was instrumental in getting the medal awarded and in arranging the ceremony to present it to the family.

He said that veterans not receiving medals happens fairly often, and he helps many of them with the paperwork to get their medals awarded to them.

“Anybody who served in the military, we’re brothers,” Molisee said. “We watch out for each other. When I found out Bill was awarded this and never received it… We take care of our men who served their country.”

It took Molisee a month to get the medal, and the American Legion Post mounted it for display for the family.

Molisee worked with Rick Postell, owner and operator of Hayley’s Coffee, Tea and Sweets in Nashville, to arrange a ceremony to present the display case to the family.

“(Post members) meet here, four, five, six of us,” Molisee said. “If there’s something we’re going to do in the community we’ll come up here and meet.” Molisee said that Postell opened up the shop especially for this ceremony.

During the ceremony, Molisee said that Summerlin was a veteran, worked as a dispatcher for the Nashville Police Department and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and was an active member of American Legion Post 115.

“Bill was a good person who would help anyone in need,” Molisee said. “We already miss him at Post 115.”

Molisee presented the display case with the medal and certificate to Summerlin’s widow, Betty Summerlin. They had been married for 65 years.

Two of their children, Mary Keeffe and Bernice Brown, were in attendance with their families. A third sibling, Jane Creamer, was not able to be there.

Summerlin, who served as a fireman in the Navy from March 1942 until December 1945, had been a member of the American Legion Post for over 30 years, according to Molisee.

“He was a dedicated individual,” Molisee said. “He helped our post out a lot.”

Summerlin was active in the American Legion up until his passing, Molisee said, adding that even when Summerlin couldn’t drive they would pick him up and drive him so he could attend to his service officer duties, which consists of visiting sick members and sending out cards for birthdays. Molisee said that even after he wasn’t able to attend meetings, Summerlin “was still sending out cards and taking care of our members in the post.”

Molisee said that he was proud that the family showed the form to him, even not knowing if he could do anything with it.

“I’m thankful and glad I could get something for them,” he said. “Even though he’s passed, his family will have this to remember him by.”

Summerlin’s family said it was a blessing for the family to be able to honor him.

Betty Summerlin said that he was a private person and never liked to be fussed over.

“Anything he could do to honor someone else and lift them up, he would do,” Brown said.

“He helped a lot of people in a lot of ways, quietly,” added Keeffe. This ceremony was a chance to see Summerlin honored in turn.

“He loved his family, served his country and that’s what he was about,” said Brown. “He believed that if you could do those things, that was a very good life.”

Follow Eve Guevara on Twitter @EveGuevaraTTG.