Hometown hero returns to Merrill as 20-year Navy veteran

Lieutenant Commander Donna Vorpagel-Gunther, a 20-year Navy veteran who grew up in Merrill, was named Homecoming Queen, and graduated from MHS as Valedictorian in 2003 before joining the military to serve our country, recently returned to Merrill to live with her family and was honored with a Sept. 6, 2025, retirement ceremony at the Northwoods Veterans Post.
The event included many local veterans as well as veterans who came from across the country and active duty personnel. While last stationed in San Diego, Vorpagel-Gunther preferred to celebrate her retirement in her hometown of Merrill to involve local veterans “and also honor service members who I went to school with that passed away and didn’t get a retirement ceremony (i.e. Nick Gulke, Ryan Jopek),” she said. “We honored them during the speech and also had a table set up for veterans within our own families.”
Retired Lieutenant Jeremy Gunther, Vorpagel-Gunther’s husband who is also a 20-year Navy veteran, served as the emcee. [He grew up in Maryland and retired last year.]
During the ceremony, the VFW Honor Guard and veterans from around the Midwest and Texas participated as side boys and during the flag passing ceremony. That ceremony “signifies the ranks attained and promotions of the retiree, while ceremoniously saluting and passing a folded flag while another speaker gives the tear-jerking history of the flag and where it’s been around the world,” Vorpagel-Gunther said. “Flags were then presented to my two kids, Everett and Elliott Gunther, as well as our parents, Dan and Chris Vorpagel, Glenn and Rhonda Foster, and Tom and Terry Gunther.”
Vorpagel-Gunther also presented them with letters of appreciation and flowers “for extended family members who supported us all these years.” Gunther’s family traveled from Maryland to attend.

Merrill VFW Commander Corey Dornbrack and Dana Laine, Chaplain for the weekly Veterans Coffee and Conversation group, also featured in the program.
Vorpagel-Gunther was presented the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal from the guest speaker, her good friend and fellow Wisconsinite, Commander Ashley Morrison, who flew in from San Diego.
Active duty Navy, NC1 Steven Brandsma, who is a local recruiter in the area, led the symbolic “Watch” ceremony. This signifies the active duty members of the Navy will continue the “watch” once a retiree goes ashore for the last time, Vorpagel-Gunther said.
Her husband also presented her with a shadow box he made, representing her career with insignia, coins, and mementos from the places and commands where she was stationed, along with the awards presented, medals, ribbons, and devices earned over her 20-year career.
Over the course of her naval career, Vorpagel-Gunther traveled around the country and world and lived in Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, and California, while being stationed on the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), NROTC Hampton Roads, USS Arlington (LPD-24), Navy Reserve Forces Command, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Naval Service Training Command, and Naval Special Warfare Group ELEVEN working with Navy SEALs, according to her bio.
While in the military, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University and her master’s degree from Liberty University.
Vorpagel-Gunther said she is grateful to have been given the opportunity to see the world and for all the training, education, and experiences the military provided.
She recently returned to live in Merrill with her family, where she is now active in veteran and youth organizations, and said she has a renewed focus on faith, family, and service.