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A solemn goodbye: Family, friends mourn the loss of local Marine killed in Iraq

BY BECKY MALKOVICH
THE SOUTHERN

Saturday, January 21, 2006 6:34 AM CST

WOODLAWN - A strong breeze blowing across the flat lands of rural Jefferson County made a red, white and blue blur of the U.S. flags that lined the route to Woodlawn Friday.

But the strong wind could not compare to the blow suffered by family and friends of the late Lance Cpl. Jonathan Kyle Price, the 19-year-old Woodlawn Marine who died Jan. 13 while serving in Iraq. Price was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

More than 800 mourners filled Woodlawn Christian Church to say their last goodbyes to Price, including his friend Brent Loyd.

Loyd thanked God for "every hot tear" and for the "grown men weeping" in the overflowing church. The sadness and tears showed "There is still love in this dark world, and it is this same love and this same compassion that Kyle carried with him to Iraq to spread these sentiments around the world. Kyle was there to bring hope to people who had no hope, Kyle was there to protect families that he did not know, but they were families who feared the dangers of tomorrow," Loyd said.

"Kyle was there to spread freedom and love to an oppressed world - one piece of candy to a little Iraqi child at a time."

Harold Engle, senior minister of Woodlawn Christian Church, spoke of respect, service and self-sacrifice.

"Tears come to rise as we see our nation's flag now. We know again now that faith, family and freedom are worth fighting for, indeed they are worth dying for. Kyle believed that and he acted on that," Engle said.

"Kyle's service reminds us that public service is to be selfless and not selfish. Kyle Price was human.

"He wasn't perfect, but on the day that he laid down his life for his fellow Marines, and his country and for you and I, as well, he reflected his Lord, Jesus Christ. He offered himself as a sacrificial gift for his friends and we honor that today."

As the funeral service came to a conclusion, a Purple Heart was awarded posthumously to Price and the familiar tune of U.S. Marine Corps Hymn was played.

Family and friends filed out of the church quietly and slowly to begin a processional to Knob Prairie Cemetery where Price was laid to rest.

The silence accompanying the walk out of the church was in stark contrast to the mourners' entry earlier in the afternoon. As people arrived at the church for the funeral service, they heard the nearly constant rumble of motorcycles. About 100 cyclists lined a street on the east side of the church, hoping to drown out the noise made by a small group of protesters who have become nationally known for disrupting the services of fallen troops.

Daniel Brymer rode his motorcycle from Johnston City to attend the Woodlawn event. Brymer, of the American Freedom Veterans Awareness Organization, said he has attended several funerals where the protesters have also been in attendance. "We are here to pay our respects to Jonathan Kyle Price, a fallen brother," he said. "They can say whatever they want to; we don't all have to agree with it. That's what Jonathan fought for, their (protesters) freedom and ours."

beckym@onecliq.net

(618) 927-5633