Sgt. Stephen O'Neil Gumbs, United States Army Veteran

Stephen Gumbs was born September 14, 1966 in St. Kitts, West Indies, and passed away on October 21, 2010 at Round Rock, Texas, surrounded by his loving family, at the age of 44.  He was affectionately known as Gummy Bear. 

Stephen obtained a BS in Information Technology from American InterContinental University. He enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country for eight years as an Automated Logistics Specialist.  His service included service in Operation Desert Storm.

After leaving the Army, Stephen continued to work in management and went to work for the University of Texas at Austin as a Buyer and Desktop Support Specialist.

Stephen was a devout Christian and was known by all for his strength and optimism, traits that helped him in his final years. 

Stephen was diagnosed in April 2008 with Glioblastoma Mulitforme grade IV.  He underwent extensive therapies, always strong and positive, until the end. 

Funeral services were held October 29 at the Memorial Chapel of Cook-Walden Funeral Home in Pflugerville, Texas.  Present were Patriot Guard Riders from the Austin and CENTEX regions to form a line of American flags at the entrance of the funeral home to welcome the arriving family and friends.

At the conclusion of the service, the Riders escorted the funeral procession to the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Killeen, Texas.  At the cemetery were more Riders, and fifty American flags, blowing gently in the morning breeze.

At the committal shelter, the coffin was removed from the hearse and carried into the shelter, as over fifty Patriot Guard Riders stood at attention and saluted.  The Riders then formed a line of American flags around the shelter as the United States Army Honor Guard rendered military honors.  The Army bugler played taps, and the flag that had draped the coffin was folded into a tight triangle and presented to Stephen’s dear wife, Dione, also an Army veteran of Desert Storm, on behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army and a grateful nation, in thanks for Stephen’s dedicated service.

Dione and one of her daughters then walked the entire flag line and shook the hand of every Rider.

Sgt. Stephen Gumbs was then laid to rest on the gentle slope of the cemetery, and the American flag at the top of the hill flew at half-staff in his honor.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, two daughters, his mother and step-father, six siblings and many other dear family, friends and co-workers.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

With thanks to the Cook-Walden Funeral Home for biographical information.

Cpl. Jorge Villarreal, Jr., United States Marine Corps

Cpl. Jorge Villarreal, Jr., United States Marine Corps

Jorge Villarreal, Jr. was born in San Antonio, Texas on May 8, 1988 and died on October 17, 2010, at the age of 22, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Jorge graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in San Antonio, in 2006.   He was the back-bone of a close-knit group of friends who grew up together.  He was considered the peacemaker of the group, settling disputes among friends.  Jorge was a member of the National Honor Society and was the class treasurer.

Jorge enlisted in the United States Marines on February 12, 2007.  He deployed with the 15th Expeditionary Unit to the western Pacific in 2008.

At the time of his death, Jorge was a motor vehicle operator, assigned to 1st Battalion, 11th Marines.  Although this is an artillery unit, it has been assigned to protect the Kajaki Dam, a 320 foot high, 887 foot wide landmark in northeastern Helmand Province.  It was built in 1953 by the United States to provide hydroelectric power.  The unit has conducted not only artillery operations, but foot patrols as well.

On October 17 Cpl. Jorge Villarreal was on foot patrol with other members of his unit when he stepped on a land mine, becoming one of the 19 Marines to die in October, as if that time, in Afghanistan.

On Monday, October 25, funeral services were held at the Porter Loring Funeral Home in San Antonio.  In attendance were Patriot Guard Riders from the San Antonio area who formed a line of American flags at the entrance to the funeral home to welcome the arriving family and friends.

At the conclusion of the services, the Riders led the funeral procession of hundreds of cars, to the San Fernando Archdiocesan Cemetery for interment service with full military honors.

As the procession drove past  Kennedy High School, located across the street from the cemetery, hundreds of students lined the street in front of the school.

Waiting at the cemetery was a United States Marine Corps Honor Guard.  As the hearse came to the burial site, the Marines stood at attention and saluted their fallen comrade.  Cpl. Villarreal’s flag draped coffin was removed from the hearse by seven Marines and solemnly carried to the grave site.  The Patriot Guard Riders stood in a line of American flags and saluted.

Full military honors were rendered by the Marines.  A seven rifle detail fired three volleys of fire, representing Honor, Duty and Country.  The Marine bugler played taps.  The flag that had draped the coffin was then folded into a tight triangle and presented to Jorge’s wife, Reyna, on behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps and a grateful nation, in thanks for his service to his country.  Folded flags were also presented to his mother and his father.

As the service came to a close, dozens of red, white and blue balloons were released into the clear blue sky.   The southerly winds carried them to the north, past  John F. Kennedy High School where Jorge graduated just four years ago.

His coffin was then lowered into the grave, and the hundreds of family and friends filed past the grave and dropped grains of sand onto the coffin.

Left to cherish his memory are his dear wife, his step-daughter Shia, his mother, Yolanda, his father, Jorge, a sister, two grandmothers and a grandfather, and numerous other dear family and friends, and to many fellow Marines to count.

Dozens of Jorge’s family and friends were wearing white tee shirts in honor of their Fallen Hero.  On the front, his picture, on the back, the poem “Footprints in the sand.”

Footprints in the sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.  But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.  Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."

With thanks to KENS-TV, Battle Rattle, Militarytimes.com, MySA, and KSAT-TV for historical and biographical background and photo of Cpl. Villarreal, taken on the day of his death.

Links to news stories.

www.ksat.com/video/25508065/index.html


www.ocregister.com/news/marine-272765-medal-service.html

www.woai.com/news/local/story/San-Antonio-Marine-killed-in-Afghanistan/qgCKocymSEylWhTjBvcmVQ.cspx

Sgt. Mark Allen Simpson, United States Army

Memorial Service, Afghanistan

Memorial Service, Afghanistan

  Sgt. Mark Allen Simpson, United States Army

Mark Allen Simpson was born February 3, 1970 in Peoria, Illinois, and died September 26, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan at the age of 40.

Mark grew up in Peoria, was an avid computer gamer and graduated from Richwoods High School in 1988.  As the youngest of the five children of George and Carol Simpson, Mark was a prankster and could give as good as he got, according to his sister.

After graduation from high school, Mark, filled with a wanderlust, moved around the country,  working in construction in Colorado, as a sheriff in El Paso and as a bailiff in Colorado Springs.  He was an avid Trekkie and a fan of the New England Patriots.

Mark enlisted in the United States Army in late 2004.  He considered the Army  a way to provide for his family, yet travel, see the world and meet people.

After basic training, he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, then transferred to the 20th Engineer Battalion at Fort Hood, Texas.  He deployed to Iraq in August 2006 where he served in the “Triangle of Death,” a volatile region south of Baghdad.

In January 2010 he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  He was assigned to the 584th Mobility Augmentation Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade.  The 20th Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer route clearance unit currently operating in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as Task Force LUMBERJACK.

On Sunday, September 26, 2010, insurgents attacked Sgt. Simpson’s military vehicle with an improvised explosive device at Forward Operating Base Frontenac, Afghanistan.  In addition to Sgt. Simpson, Specialist Donald Scott Morrison, 23, of Cincinnati, Ohio was killed.  Sgt. Daniel Krause and Specialist Steven Heberlin were injured and were awarded the Purple Heart for their injuries.

Sgt. Simpson’s many military decorations and awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Army Commendation Medal.

On September 30 a memorial service was conducted in Afghanistan for Sgt. Simpson and Specialist Morrison by their unit.

On October 7, 2010, a charter aircraft returned Sgt. Simpson to Fort Hood for the last time.  Waiting outside the Fort Hood airport were over sixty motorcycles of the Patriot Guard Riders from all over central Texas.  They escorted the hearse containing Sgt. Simpson to the Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Killeen, Texas.

In the evening, a visitation was held at the funeral home.  The Patriot Guard Riders were in attendance to form a line of American flags at the entrance to the funeral home to welcome the arriving family and friends.

At noon on October 8,  funeral services were held at the funeral home.   Once again, the Riders were present with a line of American flags.

At the conclusion of the services, over 75 Patriot Guard Riders led the funeral procession to the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Killeen, Texas.  There, fifty American flags, waving in the Texas wind, lined the roadway to the committal shelter.

The Patriot Guard Riders, 80 strong by this time, enveloped the committal shelter with a line of flags, as full military honors were rendered by the United States Army Honor Guard.

A seven rifle detail fired three volleys of fire, representing “Honor, Duty and Country.”  The Army bugler played taps.  The rifle detail then stacked their weapons and marched to the flag draped coffin.  The detail folded the American flag, that had draped the coffin through it’s travels, into the traditional triangle.  Three spent cartridges were place into the flag, representing Honor, Duty, Country.  The folded flag was then ceremoniously passed to Brigadier General Donald MacWillie who then presented the flag to Mark’s dear wife, Aletha, on behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army and a grateful nation, in gratitude for the service and sacrifice of Sgt. Simpson and his family.  Folded flags were also presented to his mother and his three daughters.

Sgt. Mark Allen Simpson was then laid to rest on the gentle wind-swept plain of the cemetery, as his family watched from afar. 

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, three daughters, his parents, a brother, three sisters, numerous other dear family and friends, and his comrades in the United States Army here and abroad.

He was preceded in death by his son, Mark Allen Simpson, Jr.

A memorial service will be held in Sgt. Simpson’s hometown on October 12, 2010, at the El Vista Baptist Church.  Patriot Guard Riders will be in attendance, again, to honor this fallen hero.

With thanks to the Killeen Daily Herald, pjstar.com and the United States Army for biographical and historical information.

Special thanks to the  20th Engineer Battalion for photographs of their memorial service.