Justin Walsh honored, remembered at memorial

"Price School Remembers You, Justin," said the sign held Thursday morning by Roseann Kostoff, Juli Mains and Leanne Stofsick.

"He played saxophone and he had the most beautiful voice," said Stofsick, a music teacher at Price School who had Justin as a student for six years.

His singing, she recalled, was "just like an angel."

Then, the funeral procession and hearse carrying Marine Sgt. Justin Walsh's body reached the church and his flag-draped casket was carried into the building by fellow Marines in dress blues.

Walsh, a 24-year-old explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., was wounded Oct. 5 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was disarming one roadside bomb when a second exploded nearby.

He was on his third tour of duty in Iraq. He died Oct. 11 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Walsh took part in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003 and served his second tour from mid-July 2004 until February 2005.

His commander on the second tour, Lt. Col. Robert Durkin, praised Walsh in an e-mail for his abilities, maturity and interest in the Iraqi soldiers.

Durkin said Walsh was "a great kid with a fantastic sense of humor. I can't think of a single time that I interacted with him that I didn't laugh."

The funeral procession left Clifford-Shoemaker Funeral Home on Front Street at 9:30 a.m., passing through the city in front of Walsh's alma matter, Cuyahoga Falls High School, and on to the church.

Crowds line streets

Several thousand, including youngsters, stood along the streets to pay their respects.

The entire high school student body lined Fourth Street as the procession passed.

"It's a very emotional thing," ninth-grader Jenell Ware said as he waited.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to show my appreciation and respect for a person like Justin Walsh."

The USO of Northern Ohio passed out flags to the students and others outside the school.

"I am so proud of our students -- we had all 1,750 students come out with flags to honor Justin," Principal Nick Valentine said.

Walsh, a red-headed 2001 graduate, wrestled and played football at the school.

And 82 members of the Falls football team were together there Thursday to view the procession.

"He truly was a very, very special person," said assistant football coach Mike Miller, who played football with Walsh.

Before the service, dozens of members of the Leathernecks, Patriot Guard and Rolling Thunder, all military support groups, held flags and stood in silence in a show of respect.

During the service, Mayor Don Robart, a Marine veteran, called Walsh "one of the finest young men to ever live in our community."

Robart said Walsh was "the best and brightest this city, this state, this country, has to offer. He was a good student, good athlete, a good son, good brother, good citizen, good Marine."

Robart said Walsh "was the Marine that allowed each of us to go home at night and crawl under that warm blanket of freedom that he provided."

Childhood friend Luke Moneypenny, 24, who met Walsh in kindergarten, spoke of how his friend was always there for him while he was growing up.

"In middle school, Justin was there to back me up during the best and worst of times," said Moneypenny, who served in the Ohio Army National Guard and is now a senior at Bowling Green State University.

"In seventh grade, he offered the best advice I've ever heard in regard to women: `Run and hide, Moneypenny,' " he said.

Moneypenny, a trumpet player, said he and Walsh often joked with each other over football and marching band.

"He would call me a ground-pounder," Moneypenny said. "And would say `When are you gonna come and play football?' And I would reply, `Probably about the time you join the marching band, jarhead!' "

Emotional eulogy

Marine Staff Sgt. Thomas Kirk, a Marine friend from New York, spoke of the work that Walsh did in Iraq, disarming the kind of roadside bombs that have claimed so many lives since the war began.

"There are many thousands of Marines, sailors and soldiers who are walking around because of the work Justin did," Kirk said during his emotional eulogy.

"Today is the last day I will be sad. From now on, I will only be happy to have known him" and for the "impact he had on my life."

At the close of the service, the Rev. Marvin Brown, pastor of First United Methodist, intoned: "Justin has given his life for his friends. Rest well, dear friend."

Outside, hundreds stood in silence as the casket was taken from the church.

Javier Kennedy, 27, of Fairlawn, who served in the Marines during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, said he attended not only because his mother works with a member of Walsh's family but also because of the brotherhood of the Marines.

"We stick together," he said.

Even though he had never met Walsh, he said, "the Marines are the biggest brotherhood. Any tragedy pulls us that much closer. I know he would do the same for anyone else."

Walsh's family asked that memorials be made to Marine Toys for Tots, in care of Weapons Company, 3/25, 800 Dan St., Akron, OH 44310.

Walsh is survived by his father, James I., of Mantua; mother, Terri Walsh-Silvey, of North Benton; stepfather Thomas Silvey, of Stow; brother, James Walsh II and sister Heather Marie Walsh, of Stow; and girlfriend, Dawn Garey.

From the Akron Beacon Journal

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