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Spec.
Brent W. Koch grew up near Franklin, MN and attended Cedar Mountain
HS, playing football. But his real love was auto racing. He was
serving with the Minnesota National Guard for just three months when
he was killed June 16, 2006 by a roadside bomb. This quilt was given
to his mother. He is also survived by his father and several
step-siblings. He was 22 years old. |
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S Sgt.
Kevin M. Witte was a natural leader and mediator. He worked with
Iraqis and was learning Arabic. He died on Oct. 20, 2006 in Baghdad.
This quilt was sent to his mother in Oregon. He is also survived by
his wife and son, his step-mother and six brothers and sisters. He had
earlier served in Afghanistan and Iraq. |
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Cpl.
Andrew Kemple wanted to join the Army shortly after Sept. 11, 2001,
but his mother asked him to think about it. When she gave her support
he enlisted in 2003. He was outgoing and thrived in the Army. He was
23 when his Humvee was attacked on Feb. 12, 2006 in Tikrit, Iraq. This
quilt was given to his grandmother in South Haven, MN. |
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Sgt. Maj.
Michael C. Mettille was 44 when he suffered a heart attack while on
duty in Iraq on Feb. 1, 2007. His wife and children received a quilt
in 2007. This quilt was given to his parents in Winona, MN. Sgt. Maj.
Mettille was serving in the Minnesota National Guard at Camp Adder,
Iraq. |
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Marine Sgt. Bryan Opskar
grew up in Princeton and loved hockey and the outdoors. He found his
"niche" in the Marines, his parents reported. He died on July 23, 2005
in Iraq. He is also survived by a brother and his wife of a year. He
was 32. This quilt was given to his parents in Pelican Rapids. |
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First Lt.
Michael J. Fasnacht was modest about his Army career. He was admired
by all and was proud of his mission and dedicated to the troops he
led. He was 25 when his convoy was hit by an IED on June 8,
2005. He graduated from Janesville schools and Mankato State
University. He leaves a wife, six siblings and his parents. This
quilt is for his wife in Mankato. |
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SSgt.
Kevin M. Witte grew up in Beardsley, MN, near the SD border. He was
serving his second tour in Iraq when he was killed by a roadside bomb
on Oct. 20, 2006. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart
posthumously. He is survived by his wife and son in NC, his mother and
other close family. This is his wife's quilt. |
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Army Sgt.
William "BJ" Beardsley enlisted in the Army after high school and
then reentered after Sept. 11. He was 25 when he was killed by an IED
in Iraq on Feb. 26, 2007. He is survived by two children, his mother and father and
step-mother. This quilt was given to his father and step-mother in
Blaine, MN. |
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Marine
Cpl. Johnathan
Benson received grievous injuries from a roadside bomb on May 17, 2006
and died on Sept. 9, 2006 after a courageous fight. He was awarded a
Purple Heart. He was on his second tour in Iraq. He was 21, the
youngest of six children and graduated from North Branch Regional HS.
His parents were sent this quilt. |
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Marine
Sgt. Chad M.
Allen died on Feb 28, 2007 when the vehicle he was driving was struck
by a bomb in Iraq. He was 24. He grew up in Maple Lake and was
homecoming king in high school. He loved to fish. He joined the
Marines the day after Sept. 11, 2001 to protect his country. This
quilt went to his parents in Wisconsin. |
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SSgt. James Wosika, Jr. joined the Minnesota National
Guard in 2000 and served in Kosovo before being sent to Iraq. He died
at age 24 on Jan. 9, 2007. His humorous motto was "real men wear pink"
and his friends wore pink shirts in his honor at his funeral. He won
many medals for his service, and was a high school wrestler in St.Paul.
He is survived by his parents, sister and grandmother. |
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National
Guard Spec. Kyle Miller graduated from the Willmar schools in June
2005. He was just 19 when a bomb exploded near his convoy, and died
June 30, 2006. This quilt was made for his father and step-mother in
Willmar. |
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Minnesota
National Guard Spec. Bryan T. McDonough was a high school athlete at
Roseville Area HS, playing hockey and lacrosse. He was 22 when he died
in Iraq in the same explosion that took the life of Corey Rystad. His
parents now live in Hugo and have honored his memory with an annual
golf tournament. Bryan was one of four children in the family. |
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Army Spec. Daniel
McConnell grew up in Duluth. He was looking for a purpose in life when
he joined the Army. He was 27 when he died in a vehicle accident in
Kirkuk, Iraq on Nov. 16, 2004. A loving father to two daughters, he
was preceeded in death by both his parents. This quilt went to his
sister, Becky. The quilt was made by Girl Scouts and leaders at a
Jamboree in Northfield. |
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Army Spec. Jacob
Vanderbosch was just 21 and had been in Iraq only two months when he
was killed by a roadside bomb on Oct. 3, 2005. He loved Texas Hold 'em
and deer hunting and making people laugh. His daring and bravery
landed him in the 82nd Airborne. He is survived by his parents and two
brothers and one sister in Vadnais Heights. |
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Spec. Corey
Rystad was only 20 when he died in an explosion to his convoy in which
Spec. Bryan McDonough also perished. He was known as a prankster in
his home town of Red Lake Falls. He enlisted shortly after high
school graduation. He is survived by his parents, two brothers and a
sister. |
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Nicholas
Turcotte married his high school sweetheart, Jen two years before he
was deployed. She says he was a great friend and like a brother to his
fellow soldiers. Her quilt was made by the aunt of his bunkmate,
Tyler, Shirley Knutson. His mother's quilt was made by another aunt of
Tyler, Dorothy Trepanier. |
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Sgt.
Nicholas Turcotte joined the Minnesota National Guard while preparing
to become a police officer. He worked closely with the Maple Grove
department. He died from a vehicle accident in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on Dec.
4, 2006 at the age on 23. His mother received this quilt at a Gold
Star Mothers event in Chicago. |
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Army
National Guard Spc. Kyle Miller, 19, was in Iraq only three months
when his convoy was hit by an IED. He grew up in Bird Island and was
fun loving. He dreamed of starting an auto body shop. This quilt is
for his mother. He is also survived by his father, of Willmar, MN. |
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Army Sgt.
Joshua Schmit, 26, was killed on one of his last missions in Iraq. He
was continuing a family tradition of military service. His father is
currently serving in the Minnesota National Guard. Josh enlisted in
2001. He met his wife, Andrea, while stationed in Germany. This quilt
went to his family in Willmar. |
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Army Spc.
Sean McDonald grew up in Apple Valley, MN but before high school he
moved with his mother to the Netherlands. He held dual citizenship
when he enlisted in the service. He loved soccer and had lots of
friends. He was killed at 21 on March 25, 2007 when his vehicle hit an IED. This quilt
is for his sister, Jessica, in Rosemount. |
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This quilt
was given to Spc. Sean McDonald's mother to take back to her home in
the Netherlands. Spc. McDonald is buried in Ft. Snelling National
Cemetery. |
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Marine
Lance Cpl. Robert Posivio III enlisted right after high school and was
serving on his third tour of duty in Iraq. He was 22. He died on May
23, 2006 when his vehicle struck an IED. He grew up on a farm in rural
Sherburn and was active in his community and school. This quilt was
sent to his parents. |
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Army Spec.
Troy Linden loved driving his Jeep with his dog at home in rural
Rochert, MN. He died on July 8, 2006 when his vehicle hit a bomb in
Iraq at the age of 22. His parents received this quilt made to honor
his service. Troy played guitar and had three of them with him in
Iraq. He is also survived by an older brother and sister. |
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Marine
Staff Sgt. Blake Pospisil was preparing to disarm an IED when it
exploded and killed him on Dec. 14, 2005 in Iraq. He was trained in
explosives and was on his first tour in Iraq. He was 35. His parents
live in Big Lake. This quilt was given to his sister from CA, who is
herself a military spouse. |
