Sgt. Bernard Leon Sembly Jr.
Army National Guard
Son of Bernard Sembly Sr.
October 11, 1979 ~ May 19, 2005
Shot by a sniper in
Baghdad, Iraq
Saying farewell to
Bernard Leon Sembly Jr.
and fellow soldier
Robin Vincent Fell
Good Friday
“I must believe my son is gone,” the stricken mother cried.
“But what I never shall accept is how and where he died.
He was my precious, only son—I’ll never have another.
He loved me dearly, and I him, as only can a mother.
It wasn’t illness took his life, nor careless choice he made,
but violent hate and disregard that tore his life away.
I had no chance to say goodbye, tell him what his life meant—
no final kiss or tender touch as his last breath was spent.
Wounded, bleeding, all alone, nothing to feel or hear
but gunshots, death’s last agony, and hateful shouts and jeers.
They say that God shares all our pain, all suffering here below,
but crushing grief of mother love—just how can heaven know?”
Then Jesus whispered to her heart; she felt she heard him say,
“The answer to your tortured cry is found in Good Friday.
I too was jeered and spit upon, my friends nowhere around.
In anguished torment, all alone, I fell upon the ground.
And when I screamed to God above, close through eternity,
this horror found above all else—He’d turned His back on me.*
I was His Son, His only Son, we’d never been apart,
but as I died, He turned His face, and hid His loving heart.
I truly died alone, you see, as no one else can know.
My Father’s heart was broken, too, for love He could not show.
He knows your pain; I knew your son’s; I knelt there at his death.
I heard his last, unspoken cry, I felt his final breath.
I reached for him and touched his cheek; I bore his soul away.
He’s safe with me; earth’s darkness past, he shares eternal day.
Now take my hand as I took his, and let me help you live.
Because you’ve felt my mortal pain, you have so much to give.
The agony in many hearts so very few can share,
but through your touch others will find
that God, too, knows and cares.”
~CAR~
*Matthew 27:46
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out…
‘My God, my God, why have
You forsaken me?’”
Cpl. William Bradley Fulks
May 3, 1983 ~ May 18, 2006
Beloved grandson of
Carol Hatton
Died fromwounds received during combat operations
on May 1, 2006
in Al Anbar Province, Iraq
FotosbyFrannie, mom of Mindi Osborne, 10/2/71 ~ 7/6/98
Army Pfc.
Timothy James Seamans
Beloved son of
Dave & Monica Seamans
Ashley's only brother
October 28, 1984
August 18, 2005
Killed in action in
Samarra, Iraq
Army Spec. 4
Michael Patrick Pittman
Beloved son of
Sandra & Frank Hughes
Brother of Becky, Kirk & Mark
Husband of Jennifer,
Father of Reannah, Micah,
Christian & Joy
March 17, 1973 ~ June 15, 2007
Killed by a bomb blast
and small-arms fire
in Baghdad, Iraq
Petty Officer 3rd Class
Emory J. Turpin
Beloved son of
Judy Turpin
November 7, 1982
November 20, 2005
Drowned in Republic of Seychelles, Africa
where his Naval Battlion was deployed.
Lance Cpl. Raul Samuel Bravo
Beloved son of Joy Marsico
brother of Shakira, Rachel
and Isabelle
April 10, 1985 ~ March 3, 2007
Killed while conducting combat operations in
Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
Beloved Son,
I am thankful for having you in my life
for twenty-one short, yet beautiful years.
I thank God for the blessing of choosing
me to be your mother.
I miss your voice, your touch, your smile,
the smell of your cologne,
your very presence.
You make me want to be a better person.
I live every day in a way that I hope
God would find pleasing,
in a way that would honor your memory.
You are my hero, my son,
the light of my life, my lighthouse.
I know the angels have
wrapped their wings around you
and made you whole once again.
Till my time comes, guide and watch over me.
I dedicate my life to Jesus, and to you my brave son.
I'll love you till time without end,
Mom
Joy Marsico
(loving mother of Raul S. Bravo, fallen Marine)
In Honor of Raul S. Bravo II
May the road rise up
to meet you.
May the wind be always
at your back.
May the sun shine warm
upon your face,
and the rains fall soft
upon your fields,
and until we meet again,
may God hold you
in the palm of His hand.
Sgt. Jason Alan Shaffer
Beloved son of
Roger and Gwendolyn Shaffer
Eric's only brother
December 2, 1978 ~ April 5, 2007
Killed by a car bomb
in Baqubah, Iraq
Army Sgt. 1st Class
Marcus Vinicio Muralles
Brother od Cynthia Swazay
October 5, 1971 ~ June 28, 2005 Killed while conducting combat operations near Asadabad, Afghanistan when the helicopter that he was aboard crashed.
Also survived by his parents,
his wife Diana, and his children, Anna and Marcus “Dominic”
USMC Cpl. Joshua J. Ware
Beloved son of
Randy & Alicia Mammedaty
brother of Dustin, Randi, Sky & Daniel
May 25, 1985 ~ November 16, 2005
Killed while conducting combat operations during
Operation Steel Curtain
in Ubaydi, Iraq.
Sgt. Jon Edward 'JJ' Bonnell Jr.
Beloved son of
Denise J. Rork & Jon E. Bonnell Sr.,
brother of Sarah, Brandi & Tasha
August 19, 1984 ~ August 7, 2007
Died from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations
in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
For Joshua J. Ware
The voice of someone beautiful is silent,
and yet his presence seems so real and clear.
The smile that always filled a room with sunshine
at any time, it seems, could reappear.
With every thought of him, it seems the sadness
becomes a wider, deeper stream of loss.
Yet memory builds a bridge of healing comfort
from here to him, for loving hearts to cross.
Son, your precious life was cut short
and you left us way too soon!
There's a big void in all of the lives you left behind
Never to be replaced by anyone.
I Thank God for your life!
And all the beautiful memories.
I long to see your beautiful smile.
God broke our hearts two years ago today.
You loved life so much; how much more you must love Heaven.
Our tears won't stop ‘til we meet you in the sky.
You’ll never be forgotten. You’ll be forever in our hearts!
“Until we meet again,
may God hold you close
in the palm of His hands”
Josh, we love and miss you—
Dad, Mom, Randi, Sky, Daniel, Dustin,
Joni, Kiya, Whitney
&
Can’t Get Right, Kaden
SFC Travis S. Bachman
Beloved son of
Rodney & Connie Bachman
November 29, 1976
August 1, 2007
Brother of Crystal Bachman,
Bill Bachman & Thomas Keith
Husband of Amber Bachman
Father of Tyler, Zachary & Kaleigh
Died in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Basra.
Lance Cpl. Jon Eric Bowman
Beloved son of Jill Puckett
brother of Megan, Ashley & Logan
March 27, 1985 ~ October 9, 2006
Killed while conducting combat operations in
Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
"Memories of Our Brother"
Joshua J. Ware
How well We do remember
The times we spent with you
And all the fun and special things
That you would often do
Sometimes we would disagree
But always made up in the end
And as we grew to be adults
We became the best of friends.
And though it's hard to understand
Or know the reason why
You left this world far behind
It was time to say goodbye
But you will be remembered
Even though we are apart
Our Dear Brother Josh,
You are always near
For you live within our Hearts
Love your Brothers and Sister
Dustin, Sky, Daniel & Randi Girl
