Requiem for a sailor

Last modified Tue., November 23, 2004 - 02:23 PM Originally created Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Duval man killed in Fallujah buried with military honors

By JOSEPH BUSTOS
The Times-Union

About 200 relatives, friends and military came to Julian Woods' funeral Monday to honor the 22-year-old Navy corpsman and father who died in combat on Nov. 10.

The Jacksonville sailor died in Fallujah, Iraq, and was laid to rest Monday with full military honors.

Woods was a petty officer third class corpsman attached to a Marine unit. He had a 3-year-old daughter who lives in North Carolina.

Marines placed two American flags over the coffin at the beginning of the funeral.

A cousin, Autumn Beckton, later read a poem she titled True Soldier to the assembly in Second Missionary Baptist Church.

"A good man indeed/Who would help anyone he thought was in need," Beckton read, holding back tears. "All people loved him so much as they could/The true soldier's name was Julian Woods," ended the poem.

For the burial at Riverside Memorial Park, four Marines and two sailors acted as pallbearers.

Woods' parents, Julius and Carolyn Woods, who are divorced, were each given a flag and three bullet shells from the 21-gun salute. Carolyn Woods also was given her son's Purple Heart.

"He's a part of our family," said Joe Cavella, a former Marine staff sergeant from Jacksonville.

Although Woods was a Navy corpsman, Cavella and several other Marines considered him an honorary Marine.

"He died doing what he was supposed to do," another cousin, James Beckton of Atlanta, said. "It's a sad day."

Patrice Bennett of Jacksonville, a Woods family friend, said the family was very close and was helping each other through the difficult time.

"He comes from a loving family," Bennett said. "He was a really good kid from a good, church-going family."

Julius Woods said his son was bright and energetic and loved people everywhere. The father himself was in the Navy for 25 years, as well as Julian Woods' grandfather and brother.

"He was serving his country," Julius Woods said.

joseph.bustos@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4025
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-onlin...17263149.shtml

Rest easy, Doc. Many thanks and prayers.

May your immortal soul rest in peace.

May God Bless You and Keep You. Peace My Brother

Rest easy Doc you are with your brothers now and they will take care of you.

Holding Sick Call in Heaven must be nice and easy