thedrifter
06-25-08, 07:00 AM
June 25, 2008
'Delight in life'; honor in death
Family, friends recall Marine's commitment to freedom
BY MICHELLE MANCHIR
STAFF WRITER
Family, friends and acquaintances of Richmond's fallen Marine gathered Tuesday afternoon at Tiernan Center to celebrate his 22 years of life.
Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, a Richmond High School graduate, was killed by a roadside bomb June 14 in Afghanistan.
He was a Rifleman in the Marine Corps based in Twentynine Palms, Calif., who loved rollerblading, sports and video games.
He left six months ago to assist in training Afghan police, his second deployment with the Marines. He completed a tour in Iraq last year.
On Tuesday, American flags that poked out of wreaths, armfuls of red roses and Bible verse-laden knit blankets -- gifts from friends -- flooded around Crass' flag-draped, closed casket on Tiernan Center's gym floor at RHS.
The Rev. Ray Armstrong of Hagerstown led the 45-minute service, at which he and Rep. Mike Pence spoke on a stage in front of about 300 seated guests.
Crass' mother, Lynne, found support in his father Donald's arms throughout the service.
His brother, Devin Crass, also a Marine, wore his dress uniform. His sister, Dusty Throop of Richmond, attended with husband Nicholas and their 3½-year-old son, Brenton.
Dusty Throop approached the casket with the blond toddler, who lurched toward Crass' Marine photograph nearby, before ceremonies began.
Friends in black suits, military uniforms and blue jeans swatted away sudden tears with their hands and tissues as Armstrong spoke of their late loved one whom Armstrong described as finding "delight in life."
In his eulogy, Armstrong, who is close with Crass' family and mourned with them at grandmother Darlene Crass' Richmond home last week, spoke of the Marine's great commitment to freedom.
"Layton Crass acted on his convictions ... the conviction that evil dare not prevail," Armstrong said. "He gave his life in service to that conviction in the belief that people everywhere have a God-given right to freedom, to peace and to self-determination."
Pence, who attended the funeral with wife Karen, spoke of the Marine's inspiring dedication to military service, calling him a "son of Richmond."
He told Crass' family he was there as a congressional representative and as a dad.
"Know that this nation and this state and this father owes you a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay but we will never stop trying," Pence told the crowd, "and we will honor the memory of your son because he most assuredly is an American hero."
After the ceremony, dozens of Patriot Guard riders, veterans on motorcycles with dangling patriotic flags, led Crass' black hearse down Hub Etchison Parkway and U.S. 40 West.
A procession that went on for about 15 minutes followed it to Crown Hill Cemetery in Centerville, where the Richmond son was laid to rest.
Ellie
'Delight in life'; honor in death
Family, friends recall Marine's commitment to freedom
BY MICHELLE MANCHIR
STAFF WRITER
Family, friends and acquaintances of Richmond's fallen Marine gathered Tuesday afternoon at Tiernan Center to celebrate his 22 years of life.
Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, a Richmond High School graduate, was killed by a roadside bomb June 14 in Afghanistan.
He was a Rifleman in the Marine Corps based in Twentynine Palms, Calif., who loved rollerblading, sports and video games.
He left six months ago to assist in training Afghan police, his second deployment with the Marines. He completed a tour in Iraq last year.
On Tuesday, American flags that poked out of wreaths, armfuls of red roses and Bible verse-laden knit blankets -- gifts from friends -- flooded around Crass' flag-draped, closed casket on Tiernan Center's gym floor at RHS.
The Rev. Ray Armstrong of Hagerstown led the 45-minute service, at which he and Rep. Mike Pence spoke on a stage in front of about 300 seated guests.
Crass' mother, Lynne, found support in his father Donald's arms throughout the service.
His brother, Devin Crass, also a Marine, wore his dress uniform. His sister, Dusty Throop of Richmond, attended with husband Nicholas and their 3½-year-old son, Brenton.
Dusty Throop approached the casket with the blond toddler, who lurched toward Crass' Marine photograph nearby, before ceremonies began.
Friends in black suits, military uniforms and blue jeans swatted away sudden tears with their hands and tissues as Armstrong spoke of their late loved one whom Armstrong described as finding "delight in life."
In his eulogy, Armstrong, who is close with Crass' family and mourned with them at grandmother Darlene Crass' Richmond home last week, spoke of the Marine's great commitment to freedom.
"Layton Crass acted on his convictions ... the conviction that evil dare not prevail," Armstrong said. "He gave his life in service to that conviction in the belief that people everywhere have a God-given right to freedom, to peace and to self-determination."
Pence, who attended the funeral with wife Karen, spoke of the Marine's inspiring dedication to military service, calling him a "son of Richmond."
He told Crass' family he was there as a congressional representative and as a dad.
"Know that this nation and this state and this father owes you a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay but we will never stop trying," Pence told the crowd, "and we will honor the memory of your son because he most assuredly is an American hero."
After the ceremony, dozens of Patriot Guard riders, veterans on motorcycles with dangling patriotic flags, led Crass' black hearse down Hub Etchison Parkway and U.S. 40 West.
A procession that went on for about 15 minutes followed it to Crown Hill Cemetery in Centerville, where the Richmond son was laid to rest.
Ellie