Wade Oglesby laid to rest

Richard Oglesby thought the toughest day of his life was watching his brother, Wade, leave for Iraq in June 2006. But the toughest day of Richard’s life would come months later when Wade Oglesby returned home.

“He was proud to do his duty,” Richard wrote in a letter read at his brother’s funeral service today. “He was my younger brother but I always looked up to him. I love you, bro.”

About 100 people attended the funeral for Army Cpl. Wade J. Oglesby, 27, who was killed April 18 when an improvised explosive device detonated near the Humvee he was driving in Taji, Iraq. Cpl. Michael M. Rojas, 21, of Fresno, Calif., also was killed in the blast. Both were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Others spokes of Oglesby’s commitment to being a soldier, a brother and a good friend.

Hundreds of people waved flags and saluted the fallen soldier as a horse-drawn carriage flanked by honor guards walked next to Oglesby’s casket miles down North Avenue to his burial at Grand Junction Memorial Gardens.

Phyliss McClelland and her son, Roger, stood on North Avenue to honor Oglesby and the procession.

“I’m really glad that the family allowed the community to show them some compassion and support,” Roger said.

Roger listed a number of family members who had served in military, including his own involvement of serving in the Navy from 1970 to 1981.

“It’s almost heartbreaking to see so many people turn out to recognize this,” he said.

A bagpiper player led the procession through the cemetery grounds playing “Amazing Grace.” About 50 members of the Patriot Guard Riders stood at attention and surrounded grievers holding American flags.

Honor guards performed a 21-gun salute, taps and the family released white doves. Honor guards painstaking removed the flag draped on Oglesby’s coffin, folded it and presented it to family members.

“This life was cut short for us, for our country,” said a speaker from the Purple Heart Association. “We’ll always be here for the family.”

From the Grand Junction Sentinel

Related Link:
Wade J. Oglesby dies of injuries from I.E.D.