Another Man Lost
Mood:  sad
I am one of Carolyn's caregivers- Sarah Pennell. A childhood friend lost her husband, a National Guardsman, in a tractor-trailer explosion last week in Iraq. This is the first time a loss of this war has hit so close to home. I want to share his obituary with you. What the obituary doesn't tell you is that he had only been married for a short time and he had a small baby. He had only been in Iraq for a week.
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DOVER, N.H. -- The New Hampshire National Guardsman killed in Iraq last week was remembered Wednesday morning as a hero who protected the ideals of freedom and democracy.

Spc. Jeremiah Holmes of North Berwick, Maine, was a member of the 744th Transportation Company. He died when an explosion rocked the tractor-trailer in which he was riding.

At Holmes' funeral Wednesday morning in Dover, N.H., Army National Guard Chaplain William Paige said Holmes was a hero to his family long before he was sent overseas, and now he is a hero to everyone.

About 450 friends and family and about 75 Air and Army National Guard members jammed into the church, where Holmes' flag-draped coffin rested in front of the altar.

During service, Holmes' tearful wife, Kimberly, read a poem. A sister sang as her husband played the piano.

Gov. John Baldacci has directed that the State of Maine fly the federal and state flags at half-staff statewide from 10 a.m. until sunset Wednesday in honor of Holmes.


Associated Press