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BY FATHER PHIL SALOIS, M.S.

A Prayer for the Fallen

Dear God Almighty and Grandfather Spirit: You, who hear the cry of your children here on earth, we come again to implore your divine mercy and ask You to pour forth your abundant blessings as we commemorate the sacrifices made by men and women who have served the United States in the military since the birth of our nation.

It is a time to remember the members of our families who have served in the wars fought by this country. It is also important to remember all our battle buddies who were killed or taken prisoner and are still unaccounted for. We will always hold them close to our hearts. These comrades whom we fought beside and who may have even died in our arms, they are forever in our memory. Please grant them all comfort as they rest in peace in your heavenly kingdom. We commend them to your care.

We also call upon You, Dear Lord, to be a source of solace and comfort to all those families who have lost loved ones in a time of war by pouring your soothing balm upon them until they are reunited in your eternal home. Lord, on this Memorial Day remember all those who continue to answer the call of their country and who are serving today in our armed forces in the most dangerous parts of the world. Surround them with a protective shield, keep them alert and safe, and bring them home to their families and friends. We make this prayer in Your Holy Name, O Lord! Amen!

Michael R. Anderson, 64, died December 3, 2015, from cancer. He was a life member of Auburn, Massachusetts, Chapter 554. 

Manuel E. Argyris, 74, died February 3 from prostate cancer. He was a life member of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Chapter 154.

Donald S. Babiracki, 68, died October 25, 2015. He was a life member of Western New York Chapter 77. 

William K. Balser, 84, died March 5 from a brain aneurysm. He was an associate member of Licking County, Ohio, Chapter 55.

Robert Edward Barbee, 71, died July 14, 2012. He was an at-large life member of Arizona. 

David E. Bare, 79, died November 1, 2014. He was a life member of Treasure Valley (Idaho) Chapter 1025. 

Charles Frederick Bauer, 70, died January 11 from Agent Orange-related heart failure. He was a member of Wallkill Valley (New Jersey) Chapter 1002.

Michael J. Beaver, 60, died August 1, 2015, after an automobile accident. He was a life member of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Chapter 364. 

Thomas Jefferson Bell, 68, died January 7. He was a life member of Sumner County, Tennessee, Chapter 240. 

Leslie Joseph Bertrand, Jr., 69, died February 25. He was a life member of Duval County, Florida, Chapter 1046.

Thomas A. Bouch, 73, died May 29, 2015. He was a life member of
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Chapter 364.

John Robert Bowden, Jr., 73, died January 15 from myelodysplastic syndrome. He was a member of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Chapter 862. 

Thomas J. Brady, 68, died April 5, 2013. He was a life member of Redwood Empire (California) Chapter 223. 

Billy Robert Brant, 76, died April 6, 2015. He was an at-large life member of Missouri. 

Lowell M. Brown, 66, died March 14, 2012. He was a member of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Chapter 243.

Robert J.D. Brown, died February 3. He was a life member of Mississippi Valley (Illinois) Chapter 669.

Jack Enoch Brumfield, 69, died April 11, 2015. He was a life member of George F. Semick (North Carolina) Chapter 272. 

Donald Ray Bryan, 67, died February 23. He was a life member of Quad Cities (Illinois) Chapter 299.

Thomas M. Bucur, 68, died January 13 from liver cancer. He was a member of Western New York Chapter 77. 

Roy E. Capelle, Jr., 66, died July 15, 2015, from cardiopulmonary and ventricular fibrillation arrest. He was a life member of Carson City, Nevada, Chapter 388.

Donna Marie Carlsen-DeYoung, 57, died February 5. She was an associate member of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Chapter 566. 

William F. Chandler, Jr., 67, died November 5, 2015. He was a permanently hospitalized veteran member of Westchester County, New York, Chapter 49.

Scotty Bruce Chastain, 67, died August 4, 2015. He was a member of Franklin, North Carolina, Chapter 994. 

Donald Louis Chockley, 68, died December 14, 2014. He was a life member of Lapeer, Michigan, Chapter 287. 

William F. Cieciek, 62, died December 22, 2015, from a fall in which he hit his head. He was a member of Marysville, Michigan, Chapter 1083.

Salvatore Joseph Clarino, Jr., 67, died March 24, 2015. He was a life member of Rutland, Vermont, Chapter 1.

Allena Cole, 77, died October 26, 2015. She was an associate member of Pasco County, Florida, Chapter 1003. 

Edward T. Cook, 91, died February 22. He was an associate life member of New Brunswick, New Jersey, Chapter 233.

Robert J. Corbett, 87, died February 2 from heart failure. He was a life member of Richmond, Indiana, Chapter 777. 

Rollen Henry Corbett, 74, died August 20, 2015. He was a life member of Wilmington, North Carolina, Chapter 885.  

Julie Ann Cowdrey, 64, died August 6, 2015, from cancer. She was an associate life member of Mid-Michigan Chapter 1047. 

Frankie Lynn Cox, 69, died November 5, 2015. He was an at-large life member of Idaho. 

James Robert Cruise, Jr., 82, died February 17 from Agent Orange-related lung cancer. He was a member of Clay County, Florida, Chapter 1059.  

Charles Eugene Curvin, 63, died April 8, 2015, from heart failure. He was a life member of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Chapter 203.

Herbert Wayne Davis, 65, died May 7, 2015. He was a member of Birmingham, Alabama, Chapter 416.

Charles Edward Deibler, Jr., 69, died February 2 from Agent Orange-related hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II. He was a life member of Central Minnesota Chapter 290. 

Richard D. Delaney, 68, died March 11 from mesothelioma and congestive heart failure. He was a life member of Ponca City, Oklahoma, Chapter 750.

Michael Riley Denington, 76, died November 11, 2015. He was a life member of Memphis, Tennessee, Chapter 875. 

Dan C. Dobbin, 69, died July 4, 2014. He was an at-large life member of Illinois. 

William S. Domagala, 68, died February 14, 2015. He was a member of Suffolk County, New York, Chapter 11. 

Lita Ann Donoven, 73, died January 24, 2015, from lung cancer. She was an associate life member of Indianapolis, Indiana, Chapter 295. 

Robert W. Drew, Sr., 72, died September 16, 2015. He was a permanently hospitalized member of Westchester County, New York, Chapter 49. 

Edward P. Duffey III, 66, died January 5. He was a member of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Chapter 154. 

James Murray Dunlop, 85, died June 16, 2015. He was an at-large member of Florida. 

Edwin Ernest Durr, 67, died September 3, 2015, after a motorcycle accident. He was a member of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Chapter 996. 

Robert B. Eastmade, Jr., 73, died September 6, 2013. He was a life member of Chicago in NW Suburbs (Illinois) Chapter 311.

Lauren Paul Eastwood, 68, died February 20 from heart failure. He was a life member of Licking County, Ohio, Chapter 55.

Robert Allan Eckardt, 70, died December 6, 2014. He was a member of Baltimore, Maryland, Chapter 451.

Telford Edwin Elders, 72, died May 19, 2015. He was a life member of Monroe, Michigan, Chapter 142. 

David Harold Eubank, 67, died February 24. He was a life member of Lynchburg, Virginia, Chapter 196.

John Steven Everett, 68, died February 2 from heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II. He was a life member of Topeka, Kansas, Chapter 604. 

Owen Gordon Finley, 70, died January 19. He was a life member of West End, North Carolina, Chapter 966. 

Edward Allan Fischer, 73, died February 5 from Alzheimer’s disease. He was a life member of Miami, Florida, Chapter 620. 

Juan Flores, 71, died December 22, 2014. He was a member of Central Coast (California) Chapter 982. 

Richard Lee Forrey, 71, died June 16, 2015, from a heart attack. He was a life member of Indianapolis, Indiana, Chapter 295.

Joseph Francis Friend, 87, died January 1 from cancer. He was a life member of Silver Spring, Maryland, Chapter 641. 

Dennis Lee Fuller, 77, died September 3, 2014, from Agent Orange-related cancer. He was a member of Mid-Michigan Chapter 1047. 

Lonna Faye Gargus, 63, died November 12, 2015. She was an associate member of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Chapter 243.

Leon Robert Garvin, Jr., 69, died July 22, 2015. He was a life member of Blue-Gray (West Virginia) Chapter 628. 

John G. Gehrholz, 67, died January 26. He was a member of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Chapter 154. 

Carl F. Gerchman, 87, died January 25. He was an at-large life member of Illinois.  

Richard E. Gibbens, 65, died February 10 from liver disease and renal failure. He was a member of Dearborn, Michigan, Chapter 267. 

Robert A. Gier, 63, died August 10, 2012. He was a life member of Salina, Kansas, Chapter 809.

Gregory Gillaspy, 70, died April 9 after being struck by a car. He was a life member of Santa Ana, California, Chapter 1024.

William G. Glinski, 74, died December 12, 2015. He was a life member of Branson, Missouri, Chapter 913.

Craig Lawrence Goldsworthy, 59, died December 19, 2014. He was an associate member of Mid-Michigan Chapter 1047.

Robert C. Goodman, 61, died March 18, 2014. He was a life member of Silver Spring, Maryland, Chapter 641.  

William Austin Green II, 65, died January 19. He was a member of Cumberland, Maryland, Chapter 172.

David Hugh Greenslade, 70, died November 13, 2015, from injuries sustained in a traffic accident.  He was a member of Ashtabula, Ohio, Chapter 231. 

Michael Maurice Grodi, 70, died December 22, 2015, from cancer. He was a life member of Monroe, Michigan, Chapter 142.

Donald Lehman Hainley, Jr., 65, died September 19, 2015. He was a member of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Chapter 967. 

Burton E. Hamm, 70, died January 28. He was a life member of Endicott, New York, Chapter 896.

John E. Harder, 69, died November 17, 2015. He was a life member of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Chapter 154. 

Roy Nelson Harmon, 68, died January 5 from respiratory failure. He was a life member of Central New Hampshire Chapter 41. 

Gerald P. Hemshrot, 70, died August 24, 2015, from Agent Orange-related locpulmonale with right heart failure, pneumonia, and diabetes mellitus type II. He was a life member of Central Minnesota Chapter 290.

Lowell Kelton Henness, 59, died June 9, 2011. He was a life member of Chillicothe, Ohio, Chapter 810. 

Nathan B. Henry, 68, died January 11 from pneumonia. He was a life member of Franklin, North Carolina, Chapter 994. 

Larry Franklin Hensley, 70, died February 23. He was a member of Cumberland, Maryland, Chapter 172.

Thurman Evans Hillis, 73, died July 11, 2015, from cancer. He was a life member of Denton, Texas, Chapter 920. 

A. Raymond Hollier, 80, died June 7, 2015. He was a member of Acadiana Hill, Louisiana, Chapter 141.

Kenneth B. Hughes, 70, died February 29 from cancer. He was a life member of Sumner County, Tennessee, Chapter 240.

James D. Hullett, 71, died November 29, 2015. He was a life member of Corsicana, Texas, Chapter 1009. 

David Eugene Hyde, 79, died November 9, 2015. He was a life member of West Union, South Carolina, Chapter 1017. 

Raymond Daniel Iddings, 65, died July 31, 2015, from an abscess in his body tissue. He was a member of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, Chapter 1072. 

Raymond C. Jewett, 81, died May 9, 2015, from a stroke. He was an at-large life member of Maryland. 

James Michael Johnson, 64, died February 17 from Parkinson’s disease. He was a member of Albany, Oregon, Chapter 585.

Max Dorian Johnson, Jr., 68, died January 5, 2015, from Agent Orange-related prostate cancer. He was an at-large member of Michigan. 

John Lewis Jones, 73, died February 15 from Agent Orange-related acute renal and respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. He was a life member of Sussex County, Delaware, Chapter 546.