Services for
Sargeant
Michael Ferschke, Jr
of Lenoir
City, Tennessee.
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Sgt.
Michael Ferschke, Jr
FERSCHKE,
SERGEANT MICHAEL HARVEY, JR. - 22, of Maryville, TN, went to be with
the Lord on Sunday, August 10, 2008 while serving with the United
States Marine Corps in Iraq. Michael was born in Woonsocket, Rhode
Island on November 13, 1985 and lived there for the first nine years
of his life, then lived his remaining years in Maryville, TN. He
graduated from Maryville High School in 2003; joined the Marine Corps
and reported for Basic Training at Parris Island, SC in October 2003.
He served as proud Recon Marine in North Carolina, Okinawa, and his
last mission in Iraq. He served with the 3rd Recon 1st Platoon.
Preceded in death by: grandparents, Evelyn Decotaux, Robert Lambert,
Sr., Gerald Ferschke, and Florence Ferschke; cousins, Michael Lemire
and Jamie Bradley; uncle, Dennis Ferschke; aunts, Jackie Bradley,
Susie Ratti and Lucille Ferschke. He is survived by: a loving wife,
Hotaru (Nakama) Ferschke and their first child, who is due in January
2009; parents, Michael H. Ferschke, Sr. and Robin K. (Lambert)
Ferschke; brother, Raymond Lambert; sister, Alissa Bridgman; nieces
and nephews, Jasmine, Bryson, Andrew, Courtney, and Jack;
brother-in-law, John Bridgman; aunts and uncles, Deborah Fortier,
Robert Lambert, June McMahon, Kim Wyatt, Chris Lambert, Lyn Doyon,
Tammy Lambert, Donald Ferschke, Carol Laravie, Janice Gothier, France
Cote, Mark Ferschke, Norman Ferschke, Bob Ferschke, Christine Smith;
fifty-two cousins; the remaining of the Fearsome Four - Randy,
Jonathan, Ben; and special friends, Doug and Irene Cooper, Zeal
(brother Marine). Michael will be greatly missed by all who loved
him, all who knew him, and all who wanted to know him. He was a very
proud Marine, and his family was most important to him. Michael will
always be remembered in all of our hearts....forever. Thank you for
all the calls, visits, and support you have given to us. Mike &
Robin Ferschke.
In lieu of flowers,
the family has
established a Memorial Fund in Michael H. Ferschke Jr.'s name at
Regions Bank
for the
benefit of his wife and child.
Michael
Ferschke, a 2003 Maryville High School graduate and a U.S. Marine,
died during a firefight Sunday in Iraq.
According to
family friend Douglas Cooper, the family wasn’t given specific
information on where the incident occurred. “They were doing a
house-to-house search and entered a home and a gun battle took place.
We still don’t have exact coordinates,” he said.
The family
received a phone call on Sunday night about 10:30 p.m. at about the
same time two U.S. Marine Corps personnel knocked on the door to
officially notify them of the death. “They’ve dreaded a
late evening knock on the door since he talked about wanting to go
into the Marines, but they believed in him and what he was fighting
for,” Cooper said. “They couldn’t be prouder of their
son.” Cooper said funeral arrangements would be made once the
family received more information from the military. Ferschke and his
wife, Hota, were newlyweds. “He was married for one month to the
date of his death,” Cooper said. “They were married by
video phone. She was in Okinawa, and he was in Iraq. She is five
months pregnant and due in January.” Ferschke was an honors
student in math at Maryville High School and was involved in several
drama performances there. Cooper said Ferschke joined the U.S. Marine
Corps out of high school. “He was very, very proud Marine...
What he wanted was a challenge out of life, and he knew the Marine
Corps was the biggest challenge, and so he wanted to join the Marines
and fight for his country,” Cooper said. Cooper said that after
five years in the Corps, Ferschke had attained the rank of sergeant
and was in the infrantry/reconnaissance. “This was his first
tour. He was due to get out this past October and told the Marine
Corps he would re-up if they allowed him to go to Iraq. He wanted to
fight for his country. They deployed him in March,” Cooper said.
Cooper said that as a high school student Ferschke enjoyed riding BMX
bikes, dating and being an uncle to his niece. He had an older
brother and an older sister. “At the time he only had one niece,
and she was the apple of his eye,” Cooper said. Cooper said
Ferschke was strong willed, had a big heart, was a jokester and had a
love in his heart for his family and friends. “He’s
effected so many lives here in Tennessee as well as where the family
came from back in Rhode Island,” Cooper said.
The information above was obtained 8/12/08 from BlountToday.com-
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 693-08 August 14, 2008
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Michael
H. Ferschke Jr., 22, of Maryville, Tenn., died Aug. 10 while
supporting combat operations in Salah ad Din province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III
Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
For additional
background information on this Marine,
news media
representatives may contact the Okinawa public affairs office
at
011-81-611-745-0790 or OkinawaPAO@usmc.mil
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Sunday,
August 17, 2008
Monday,
August 18, 2008
Michael's
Interment will be at The Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Lyon's View
Drive in Knoxville, following Mass.
Smith Funeral
& Cremation Service, Maryville, TN, 865-983-1000, |
The information above was obtained 8/13/08 from KnoxNews.com
Photos from Friday August 15th 2008
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Photos from Sunday August 17th 2008
Sorry no pics of this day
Hopefully someone will send us theirs......hint hint hint
Photos from Monday August 18th 2008
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Just a few
of the Many Attendee's of this event
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Jason
Anders |
Combat
Veterans |
