SPC Evan Marshall ~ Farewell and Walk with God
SPC Evan MarshallSPC Evan A Marshall, 21, of Athens, Georgia, was one of five soldiers killed on January 28, 2008, in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Carson, Colorado.
From the Athens Banner Herald:
Army Spc. Evan Marshall, a 2004 graduate of Cedar Shoals High School, was stationed in Mosul and on his second tour in Iraq when he was killed, his father said.
Marshall joined the Army after high school, trained at Fort Benning outside Columbus and served in Iraq from December 2005 until December 2006, his father said. He was home for a year and deployed again seven weeks ago.
"We're devastated by this loss, but we honor his service," Drew Marshall, an Athens attorney, said of his son. "We're very proud of him, and I consider him and all the other people who are volunteering to service over there as heroes."
Friends and family members gathered Monday at the Marshalls' new home in Oconee County to comfort Marshall and his wife, Sheila, a teacher at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School, and Evan Marshall's older sister, Alice.
Marshall grew up after he joined the military, as maturity and the structure of the Army converged at once on the young man, said Tom Granum, the music director at Athens First Presbyterian Church, where Marshall was a member and participated in the youth group.
"It gave him a direction in life that he was looking for," Granum said. "It was in the Army that he really seemed to blossom."
Marshall, who also attended Athens Academy for a time, surprised his parents with his decision to join the Army right out of school, in the middle of the war in Iraq, his father said - but it was what he wanted to do.
"So far as I'm able to tell, his motives were that he wanted to serve his country, and he wanted to do something that was hard and challenging," Drew Marshall said.
The Patriot Guard Riders were in attendance at the February 4 services in Athens, Georgia.
4 comments:
This is from the family of James Craig. Jim served with Evan in Iraq. I'm sorry for your loss. Were are very sad for the loss of our loved one, also. These men are heroes and deserve to be honored for thier service and sacrifice. Our thoughts and prayers are with your whole family and everyone that new Evan!
Sincere Regards,
~Lola Hanson-
Sister of James Craig
My precious brother-
Mom said the other night that when you were born, she was so worried that I would be jealous, but that I was like a little mother and loved my baby brother and only sibling so much. You would have done anything for me-you were so sweet and caring at Thanksgiving when I was upset- tears fall as I sit here and type this. I never imagined that would be the last time I saw you. You always accepted me for who I was, never judged. You came into my life and forever changed me. I'm so glad we became closer over the last 4 years. I think of you every second of every day. When I think that I can't get through this, I think of what you would want me to do, and when I don't want to do it for myself, I do it for you. I just don't want to have to live without you. We miss you so much. I bet Grandaddy is taking care of you up there. I've dreamt about you almost every night- I hate waking up because I want to extend that time with you. Please help me and Mom and Dad get through this- our hearts are aching. I wrote your sermon out in my prayer journal and was looking at it the other day. I know you wrote that for us. I promise that we will never forget you or your sacrifice-I will tell people about my funny, kind-hearted, brave little brother that God blessed me with for 21 years until my last day on earth, when you are there to welcome me home. I love you and I miss you..
Alice
Alice -
Evan's SGT was my friend. James had 4 sisters and I know they feel the same as you do.
Today, I heard from a friend in Mosul and he said that these five men are thought about and talked about every day - that they will never be forgotten.
You and your parents are in our thoughts and prayers.
marshall all the guys miss you in 2nd PLT wish you was still with us and wonderin who is gonna fly the ravens now.....R.I.P. my Brother
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