Posted on 02/18/2007 6:03:31 AM PST by mmanager
ST. LOUIS — On his first tour of duty in Iraq, Lance Cpl. Matthew Pathenos had a knack for making his Marine comrades laugh and forget the ugliness they'd see on patrol.
The stories about Pathenos, a young Marine reservist from Ballwin, spilled out of a typed letter — sent in a hurry late last week from his best friend still serving in Iraq.
The more than 400 mourners at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Saturday heard the one-page letter read aloud at the funeral for Pathenos.
"The best thing about Matt was his ability to wake up every day with a smile and hold it all day long," wrote Lance Cpl. Robert Cross. Advertisement
Cross joked about how Pathenos would greet him when he returned from patrol.
"He would always ask me if I had a rough day at the office and then proceed to tell me how he spent all day cooking and cleaning the house for me," Cross wrote. "It was those little jokes that made me forget about the horrible things that we see right outside in the city."
Pathenos, 21, was killed Feb. 7 in Fallujah while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province of Iraq. He was riding in a Humvee when it was struck by an improvised explosive device.
Pathenos had been in Iraq since October and was due home in April. Pathenos is a 2003 graduate of Parkway South High School.
His older brother, Christopher Pathenos, is a Marine sergeant. In a photo tribute at the church, pictures show the inseparable brothers: Matthew and Christopher in matching plaid jumpers as little boys, on the golf course as teenagers and later as young men sporting military garb and the traditional "high and tight" Marine haircuts.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
God bless this family.
May this family know the peace that passes all understanding!
May God bless and comfort this hero's family. May He watch over all of our brave fighting men.
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Seems it's always the best among us.
Rightly deserving our lifelong gratitude.
God bless Lance Corp. Pathenos and All of his family
you got that right. And the treasonous left still continues to suck air...
R.I.P. Lance Cpl. Matthew Pathenos; may God bless & comfort your family & friends left behind.
I truly pray for Matt's comrades still in Iraq, that the Lord may help them keep their spirits up, like Matt helped them do while he was there.
You will never be forgotten and your death was not in vain. May God give your family peace and watch over those you left behind in lands far away.
The Best Marines always make us laugh at the worst of times.
Rest in peace, Marine.
Your next posting is guarding the streets of gold.
Another fallen hero. Another family burdened with a great loss. May He comfort them in their time of need.
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