thedrifter
02-06-07, 01:38 PM
Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle on Monday, February 5, 2007 11:26 PM MST
An adventurer is honored
Former Marine remembered with military salute
By Shauna Stephenson
rep4@wyomingnews.com
CHEYENNE - Family and friends paid their last respects to Shane Stanfield at First Christian Church on Monday.
Stanfield and four others were killed on Jan. 23 when their helicopter crashed in Baghdad. He was 25.
The services were officiated by the Rev. Kurt Borgaard, pastor at First Christian Church.
Stanfield was a graduate of Cheyenne's Central High, class of 2000. After graduating, he joined the Marines and served four years. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served during both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Stanfield later went to work at BlackwaterUSA, a private security agency, as an independent contractor. He was working for BlackwaterUSA on a small helicopter when he died.
In 2002, he married his wife, Cassidy, who also grew up in Cheyenne.
Mike Stanfield, Shane's father, spoke at the funeral.
"All of us were grateful for the time we spent with Shane," he said.
He recalled his son's sense of adventure and joked about his messy room. He talked about the times Shane used to run around in his Spiderman pajamas, shooting imaginary webs from his wrists.
He said Shane was a hero to him in every sense of the word.
"I can honestly say he was a better person than me," Mike Stanfield said.
He recalled his son's faith and said he was confident his son is in heaven.
"I just want to say let's keep the memories of our hero alive forever," he said.
Charlene Lamb with the U.S. State Department spoke to the crowd.
She said she has spent the last week getting to know Stanfield from his friends in Iraq, who knew him better as "Warbaby."
Warbaby was Stanfield's handle, given to him for his extensive experience at such a young age.
She learned about how he used to ride his bike all over the compound in Iraq. His friends told her how he wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to his wife, Cassidy.
"He had a gentle soul," she said. "Shane will not be forgotten, nor will his sacrifice to his country."
Cassidy spoke to the gathered crowd as well. She said she had not written anything down because she wanted it to come from the heart.
"I don't have enough words to describe the man that I lost. He was my best friend," she said. "There wasn't anything that I couldn't tell him or that he couldn't tell me."
She said Shane made her a better person.
"He brought out strength in me that I never thought was there," she said.
Stanfield was given full military honors. Cremation will be at Schrader's Sunset Park Crematory.
Ellie
An adventurer is honored
Former Marine remembered with military salute
By Shauna Stephenson
rep4@wyomingnews.com
CHEYENNE - Family and friends paid their last respects to Shane Stanfield at First Christian Church on Monday.
Stanfield and four others were killed on Jan. 23 when their helicopter crashed in Baghdad. He was 25.
The services were officiated by the Rev. Kurt Borgaard, pastor at First Christian Church.
Stanfield was a graduate of Cheyenne's Central High, class of 2000. After graduating, he joined the Marines and served four years. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served during both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Stanfield later went to work at BlackwaterUSA, a private security agency, as an independent contractor. He was working for BlackwaterUSA on a small helicopter when he died.
In 2002, he married his wife, Cassidy, who also grew up in Cheyenne.
Mike Stanfield, Shane's father, spoke at the funeral.
"All of us were grateful for the time we spent with Shane," he said.
He recalled his son's sense of adventure and joked about his messy room. He talked about the times Shane used to run around in his Spiderman pajamas, shooting imaginary webs from his wrists.
He said Shane was a hero to him in every sense of the word.
"I can honestly say he was a better person than me," Mike Stanfield said.
He recalled his son's faith and said he was confident his son is in heaven.
"I just want to say let's keep the memories of our hero alive forever," he said.
Charlene Lamb with the U.S. State Department spoke to the crowd.
She said she has spent the last week getting to know Stanfield from his friends in Iraq, who knew him better as "Warbaby."
Warbaby was Stanfield's handle, given to him for his extensive experience at such a young age.
She learned about how he used to ride his bike all over the compound in Iraq. His friends told her how he wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to his wife, Cassidy.
"He had a gentle soul," she said. "Shane will not be forgotten, nor will his sacrifice to his country."
Cassidy spoke to the gathered crowd as well. She said she had not written anything down because she wanted it to come from the heart.
"I don't have enough words to describe the man that I lost. He was my best friend," she said. "There wasn't anything that I couldn't tell him or that he couldn't tell me."
She said Shane made her a better person.
"He brought out strength in me that I never thought was there," she said.
Stanfield was given full military honors. Cremation will be at Schrader's Sunset Park Crematory.
Ellie