July 15, 2011 in Idaho

CdA, Spokane processions to escort soldiers’ remains

Men’s bodies will be taken to funeral homes
By The Spokesman-Review
 
Tags:deathsIdaho Army National GuardIraqmilitarySgt. Nathan R. BeyersSpc. Nicholas W. NewbyStaff Sgt. Jason Rzepawar

Beyers
(Full-size photo)(All photos)

Airman killed by car in England

 Airman 1st Class Tyler J. Patton, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, died June 27 when he was hit by a car at the gate of a U.S. Air Force base in Suffolk, England, the BBC reported.

 Patton was stationed at Lakenheath Air Force Base in England at the time of the accident. Patton was an apprentice with the 48th Security Forces Squadron, the BBC said.

 Col. William Lewis, 48th Fighter Wing vice commander, described Patton as a combat veteran and a true patriot in the BBC report. “He will be sorely missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Lewis said.

 Patton’s obituary said he grew up in Coeur d’Alene and graduated in 2009 from the Kootenai Bridge Academy. He enlisted in the Air Force and deployed to Afghanistan in September 2010, serving seven months there.

 He played guitar and loved the outdoors and traveling, the obituary said. He planned to go to Bible college after the Air Force.

 He is survived by his parents, T.J. and Sherri Patton, his brother, Randy, and his sister, Kayla, all of Coeur d’Alene.

Law enforcement representatives in Spokane and North Idaho will join members of the U.S. military in processionals today to deliver to funeral homes the remains of two Coeur d’Alene soldiers killed in Iraq.

A procession around 11:30 a.m. will escort the remains of Army Sgt. Nathan R. Beyers from Spokane International Airport to Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home on North Division Street in Spokane. A second procession, around 1:15 p.m., will escort the remains of Army Spc. Nicholas W. Newby from the Coeur d’Alene Airport/Pappy Boyington Field to Yates Funeral Home on Fourth Street in Coeur d’Alene.

The Coeur d’Alene procession will pass Lake City High School, Newby’s alma mater, which his family has suggested would be a good place for community members to gather if they wish to pay respects. In Spokane, the best gathering spot for the public along the procession route for Beyers would be on West Pilot Drive east of the airport, said Sgt. Benjamin Ashworth of the Washington National Guard.

Newby and Beyers were killed July 7 when insurgents attacked their convoy with an improvised explosive device in Baghdad, the Defense Department reported. A third Coeur d’Alene soldier, Staff Sgt. Jason Rzepa, had both legs amputated below the knee due to injuries sustained in the attack, a news release from the Idaho Army National Guard said.

Rzepa was awarded a Purple Heart on July 8 while in an Iraqi military hospital. He has returned to the United States and is receiving medical care at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. Both Beyers and Newby will posthumously receive the Purple Heart and other medals, said Col. Tim Marsano, a spokesman for the Idaho Army National Guard.

Rzepa’s family will join him to assist him with recovery, prosthesis and physical therapy, the release said.

“Despite having had both of his legs amputated below the knees, Jason’s spirits are extremely high and we are very optimistic for a speedy recovery,” said a statement from his family in the news release. “Jason has asked us to extend a huge message of thanks for the overwhelming amount of support, prayers and positive energy from our friends, family and the community. This will surely assist Jason through a speedy recovery and we are greatly appreciative.”

A memorial service for Beyers and Newby will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lake City Community Church, 600 N. Ramsey Road in Coeur d’Alene.

A news release from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office described the expected route for today’s procession for Newby. It will head south from the Coeur d’Alene Airport on Ramsey Road and continue south on Northwest Boulevard. The procession is expected to turn east on Garden Avenue, then north on Fourth to Yates Funeral Home, 744 N. Fourth St.

The Spokane procession will travel east on West Pilot Drive to Geiger Boulevard, where it will continue northeast to the Interstate 90 on-ramp at Grove Road. It will continue east to the Division Street exit and travel north to Hennessey-Smith at 2203 N. Division St., Ashworth said.

Get stories like this in a free daily email

Recent stories by Alison Boggs
Recent stories in Idaho

Please keep it civil. Don't post comments that are obscene, defamatory, threatening, off-topic, an infringement of copyright or an invasion of privacy. Read our forum standards and community guidelines.

You must be logged in to post comments. Please log in here or click the comment box below for options.

comments powered by Disqus