thedrifter
02-03-06, 08:36 AM
Church to honor fallen Marine
A Rockford community center in the works will be named for Andrew Patten of Byron.
By MELISSA WESTPHAL, Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD — Andrew Patten was noted for his strong religious faith. Friends and relatives say it only makes sense that the Byron Marine’s name and legacy live on through his home church in southeast Rockford.
Patten, 19, and nine other Marines died Dec. 1 in Iraq. In the two months since his death, his family and leaders at Maywood Evangelical Free Church have worked to find appropriate ways to honor Patten.
The church was already thinking about building a community/ministry center, said Administrative Pastor Larry Seagren.
So it was a natural step to considering naming the $1.5 million, 15,000-square-foot building after Patten. The facility is tentatively named the Andrew G. Patten Center for Leadership Development. Seagren said the church wants to do more outreach for troubled teens, possibly pairing with other local nonprofit organizations and schools.
Seagren said their focus became clear after Patten’s death.
“We really feel like we watched Andy grow up and develop into a leader through ministry and school,” Seagren said. “Those are both important aspects of young people’s lives, and we’d like to become more of a part of that.”
Summer start sought
The center could be used for conferences and retreats. Officials have about $250,000 in funds so far for construction, which they hope to start by summer. Seagren said the group will seek grants and other financial support.
Gayle Naschansky, Patten’s mother, said her son was very involved with the church youth group and Patten would have been honored to have his name on the new ministry center.
“Andy wouldn’t have believed it,” she said. “It just speaks volumes for Maywood. He had such strong religious convictions. Maywood was definitely Andy’s refuge.”
Naschansky said the family started attending Maywood around the time Patten attended first grade.
“His life was with that church,” Naschansky said.
Patten also has a connection to a recent national tribute. At Arlington National Cemetery, Patten is buried next to Marine Staff Sgt. Daniel Clay, whom President Bush referred to in his State of the Union speech Tuesday. Both men were in the same Marine regiment and died after the same explosion.
Bush quoted part of a letter Clay had written to his parents about his honor in serving with the Marines. Patten’s family received a copy of the letter from U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, and Naschansky was able to make contact with Clay’s family.
“Andy is next to Daniel Clay at Arlington, and that made me feel better,” Naschansky said. “Daniel has a strong religious background, and he was a devout Christian man.”
‘The Rev’
Patten’s battalion returned to Twentynine Palms, Calif., from Iraq on Sunday. Naschansky was able to talk to a few other mothers and Marines who confirmed that Patten was indeed nicknamed “the Rev” by his military friends and that Patten used to write Bible verses he had memorized on the walls of places where his regiment was stationed.
Naschansky said Patten’s battalion plans to have a memorial service for the 10 Marines who died, likely sometime in March.
Military officials initially said Patten and nine other Marines died after a roadside bomb exploded while they were on foot patrol. They later released information that said the Marines were at a promotional ceremony in an abandoned flour mill when the explosion occurred.
Naschansky said the family knows Patten got his lance corporal pin at that ceremony, and the Marines were going back to their camp when the explosion happened. She said Patten had suffered an earlier injury after a different explosion and had been excited to receive a combat ribbon.
The next project for Patten’s family is planning a memorial for the Marine in Byron. Family members are working with a sculptor to create a bronze field cross in Patten’s memory to be displayed in the city.
Contact: mwestpha@rrstar.com; 815-987-1352
A Rockford community center in the works will be named for Andrew Patten of Byron.
By MELISSA WESTPHAL, Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD — Andrew Patten was noted for his strong religious faith. Friends and relatives say it only makes sense that the Byron Marine’s name and legacy live on through his home church in southeast Rockford.
Patten, 19, and nine other Marines died Dec. 1 in Iraq. In the two months since his death, his family and leaders at Maywood Evangelical Free Church have worked to find appropriate ways to honor Patten.
The church was already thinking about building a community/ministry center, said Administrative Pastor Larry Seagren.
So it was a natural step to considering naming the $1.5 million, 15,000-square-foot building after Patten. The facility is tentatively named the Andrew G. Patten Center for Leadership Development. Seagren said the church wants to do more outreach for troubled teens, possibly pairing with other local nonprofit organizations and schools.
Seagren said their focus became clear after Patten’s death.
“We really feel like we watched Andy grow up and develop into a leader through ministry and school,” Seagren said. “Those are both important aspects of young people’s lives, and we’d like to become more of a part of that.”
Summer start sought
The center could be used for conferences and retreats. Officials have about $250,000 in funds so far for construction, which they hope to start by summer. Seagren said the group will seek grants and other financial support.
Gayle Naschansky, Patten’s mother, said her son was very involved with the church youth group and Patten would have been honored to have his name on the new ministry center.
“Andy wouldn’t have believed it,” she said. “It just speaks volumes for Maywood. He had such strong religious convictions. Maywood was definitely Andy’s refuge.”
Naschansky said the family started attending Maywood around the time Patten attended first grade.
“His life was with that church,” Naschansky said.
Patten also has a connection to a recent national tribute. At Arlington National Cemetery, Patten is buried next to Marine Staff Sgt. Daniel Clay, whom President Bush referred to in his State of the Union speech Tuesday. Both men were in the same Marine regiment and died after the same explosion.
Bush quoted part of a letter Clay had written to his parents about his honor in serving with the Marines. Patten’s family received a copy of the letter from U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, and Naschansky was able to make contact with Clay’s family.
“Andy is next to Daniel Clay at Arlington, and that made me feel better,” Naschansky said. “Daniel has a strong religious background, and he was a devout Christian man.”
‘The Rev’
Patten’s battalion returned to Twentynine Palms, Calif., from Iraq on Sunday. Naschansky was able to talk to a few other mothers and Marines who confirmed that Patten was indeed nicknamed “the Rev” by his military friends and that Patten used to write Bible verses he had memorized on the walls of places where his regiment was stationed.
Naschansky said Patten’s battalion plans to have a memorial service for the 10 Marines who died, likely sometime in March.
Military officials initially said Patten and nine other Marines died after a roadside bomb exploded while they were on foot patrol. They later released information that said the Marines were at a promotional ceremony in an abandoned flour mill when the explosion occurred.
Naschansky said the family knows Patten got his lance corporal pin at that ceremony, and the Marines were going back to their camp when the explosion happened. She said Patten had suffered an earlier injury after a different explosion and had been excited to receive a combat ribbon.
The next project for Patten’s family is planning a memorial for the Marine in Byron. Family members are working with a sculptor to create a bronze field cross in Patten’s memory to be displayed in the city.
Contact: mwestpha@rrstar.com; 815-987-1352