In a recent episode of The All About Show, we sat down with Elaine Johns, founder and director of the Woodring Wall of Honor & Veterans Park, to talk about her Hennessey roots, career in aviation, and decades-long mission to preserve the stories of America’s veterans.
Originally born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Johns came to Hennessey as a teenager to live with her grandparents. She graduated in Hennessey, married Eddie Johns, and eventually began working as a temporary secretary at Northwest Aeroservices. Within 10 years, she worked her way up to general manager and ultimately purchased the company.
Aviation also gave Johns opportunities to serve others, including Angel Flight missions and flying crisis counselors to New York following the September 11 attacks. Over time, those experiences and the military history surrounding Woodring Airport inspired an even bigger undertaking.
What began as an idea for a few granite stones honoring veterans grew into Woodring Veterans Park. The park was dedicated in 2000 before a crowd of more than 1,500 people and continued expanding in the years that followed.
One of its most recognizable additions came later when Johns helped lead the effort to permanently acquire and install a Vietnam Memorial Wall. The approximately $1 million project ultimately became Oklahoma’s official Vietnam War monument.
Today, the mission has grown far beyond the original park. A military museum inside the former Sears building at Oakwood Mall contains artifacts, aircraft, military vehicles, replicas, simulators, and exhibits spanning from the Civil War through the modern War on Terror. Remarkably, the organization remains entirely volunteer operated.
For Johns, what began as a way to say “thank you” has become a decades-long effort to ensure the stories, sacrifices, and history of veterans are not forgotten.
You can watch the full episode on AllAboutHennessey.com
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