thedrifter
07-29-07, 07:21 AM
Farewell, our hero
L.I. pastor remembers 'solid' Marine as family says final goodbye
BY WARREN WOODBERRY Jr. and CHRISTINA BOYLE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Sunday, July 29th 2007, 4:00 AM
A Long Island pastor found symbolism in a set of church steps to pay tribute to fallen Marine Christopher Scherer at his funeral yesterday.
"When I first met Chris on the back steps, rebuilding the church steps as part of his Eagle Scout project, I thought it was going to be a big project," said Pastor Chuck Van Houten of the Centerport United Methodist Church.
"What a wonderful job he did, because those steps remain today - solid. That's the kind of person he became."
Scherer, 21, was mortally wounded last Sunday in a firefight in Al Anbar province in western Iraq.
He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Pendleton, Calif., one of 4,000 Marines sent to Al Anbar as part of President Bush's "surge" plan to counter insurgents.
Loved ones said Scherer joined the Marines right out of Northport High School, and his parents, Janet and Tim, read a poem their son wrote for the family.
"When Chris was getting ready to be deployed he was very short on words," Janet said.
"He was always ready with a joke or a kiss to make us smile."
Scherer's 18-year-old twin sisters showed the packed church a video they made for their brother with pictures of happier days at his graduation, on holiday and as a child.
"When I think of Chris I can't help but laugh because that's what he did, he made us laugh every day," Meghan said.
But as Scherer's flag-draped coffin was loaded onto the hearse, emotions overcame her and Meghan leaned on her father's shoulder and cried.
Commanding officer Lt. Col. Wayne Sinclaire said: "Men like Chris stepped forward to be counted."
wwoodberry@nydailynews.com
Ellie
L.I. pastor remembers 'solid' Marine as family says final goodbye
BY WARREN WOODBERRY Jr. and CHRISTINA BOYLE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Sunday, July 29th 2007, 4:00 AM
A Long Island pastor found symbolism in a set of church steps to pay tribute to fallen Marine Christopher Scherer at his funeral yesterday.
"When I first met Chris on the back steps, rebuilding the church steps as part of his Eagle Scout project, I thought it was going to be a big project," said Pastor Chuck Van Houten of the Centerport United Methodist Church.
"What a wonderful job he did, because those steps remain today - solid. That's the kind of person he became."
Scherer, 21, was mortally wounded last Sunday in a firefight in Al Anbar province in western Iraq.
He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Pendleton, Calif., one of 4,000 Marines sent to Al Anbar as part of President Bush's "surge" plan to counter insurgents.
Loved ones said Scherer joined the Marines right out of Northport High School, and his parents, Janet and Tim, read a poem their son wrote for the family.
"When Chris was getting ready to be deployed he was very short on words," Janet said.
"He was always ready with a joke or a kiss to make us smile."
Scherer's 18-year-old twin sisters showed the packed church a video they made for their brother with pictures of happier days at his graduation, on holiday and as a child.
"When I think of Chris I can't help but laugh because that's what he did, he made us laugh every day," Meghan said.
But as Scherer's flag-draped coffin was loaded onto the hearse, emotions overcame her and Meghan leaned on her father's shoulder and cried.
Commanding officer Lt. Col. Wayne Sinclaire said: "Men like Chris stepped forward to be counted."
wwoodberry@nydailynews.com
Ellie