Farmington Soldier Laid to Rest, Days After He Was Due to Return From Iraq (Michael Deason)

(KSDK) - This weekend was supposed to be a happy homecoming for one Farmington soldier.

Instead, family and friends buried Army Staff Sgt. Michael Deason on Sunday.

Dozens of patriot guard riders waited outside of First Assembly of God Church in Farmington. Cheryl Datewood rode four hours from Dresden, Tennessee, to be here.

"Our hearts go out to these people. I know they are going through a terrible loss, and we just want to say thank you for your sacrifice," says Datewood.

The 28-year-old soldier was finishing his second tour of duty in Iraq when an armor-piercing grenade hit his convoy. He died just one week before he was scheduled to return to the U.S.

"Michael was proud to serve his country," says Hugh Cerutti, one of the ministers who officiated at Deason's funeral.

Michael's sister Linda read a poem he wrote for his family when he couldn't be home for Christmas.

"I know I'm away, I know I am far. You guys are in my dreams, yes you are. I'm not with you, on this Holiday cheer, but I'm defending our country, my gift to you this year."

Read the rest at KSDK 5

Childhood friend to lead service for soldier

It seemed an odd question for two friends on their way to the movies. Last December, Mike Deason asked Brad Dush to perform his funeral.

“He said, ‘If anything happens to me in Iraq, would you do my funeral?'” Dush recalled Tuesday. “We hadn't been talking about it or anything. It just came out of nowhere. I told him I'd be honored, but there was no reason to think about that now. I never thought that day would come.”

But now, the 26-year-old Dush, a Methodist minister, is preparing the funeral service for Deason, an Army staff sergeant killed last week in Iraq. Deason grew up in Desloge. Dush grew up near Park Hills. They are lifelong friends who last saw each other during that holiday trip to the movies.

Read the rest at the Daily Journal

Sheriff promises jail time for funeral protesters

St. Francois County Sheriff Dan Bullock is drawing a line in the sand for a group of religious protesters from Topeka, Kansas.

A group that has threatened to picket or protest the funeral of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael Deason is getting a stern message from county law enforcement. The Westboro Baptist Church has listed on its Web site the Deason funeral as a subject for a picket on Sunday between 1:15 and 2 p.m.

Bullock said that isn't going to happen here.

“I have studied this issue for two days,” Bullock said. “I have spoken to the Westboro Baptist Church and their attorney. I have also talked with St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Wendy Wexler Horn, Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker and Desloge Police Chief James (Jebo) Bullock. I told the Westboro Baptist Church that we were drawing the line here in St. Francois County.”

Bullock said if the church members are present at any point between one hour before and one hour after Deason's funeral, they will go to jail.

The protesters go around the country picketing funerals of fallen soldiers because they believe that God has now become America's terrorist, killing and maiming American troops in strange lands for homosexual sins in America.

Read the rest at the Daily Journal

Related Link:
Roadside bomb takes life of Michael Deason

Note: Due to problems with blogger we were unable to post news of the fallen for the last 10 days. This post is part of the update from that period.