Family Buries U.S. Soldier and His Mother

AP ^ | 11-8-03

[steppenwolffe]

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. - An Army sergeant killed in a missile attack as he was returning home for his mother's funeral was buried along with her Saturday.

More than 200 family members and friends gathered at a school auditorium about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh for a double funeral for Sgt. Ernest Bucklew and his mother.

Mary Ellen Bucklew, 57, of Darlington Township, died Oct. 31 of an aneurism as she drove home from work. Her 33-year-old son was on emergency leave two days later when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter he was in was shot down near Fallujah, Iraq.

Sixteen soldiers were killed in the attack, and several had funerals over the weekend.

The Rev. Jay Hurley said mourners might not understand how such a tragedy could befall the Bucklews, but he assured them that God has a plan for mother and son.

"Certainly there are some here today asking what now? Where do we go from here?" Hurley said. "The good shepherd says, 'Follow me.' He's the only one that can lead you to green pastures."

Family members declined to speak to reporters but William Braslawsce, a friend acting as the family's spokesman, said the Bucklews wished to express their thanks to the outpouring of support they have received.

Ernest Bucklew, promoted posthumously to staff sergeant, was buried with full military honors, including a 21-gun salute.

Military officials presented his wife, Barbara, and his father, Donald, with American flags. Barbara Bucklew also received her husband's Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Ernest Bucklew, the son of a coal miner, grew up in Geneva, Pa., and Morgantown, W.Va., where he attended high school and college and joined the National Guard. He joined the Army in 1999.

[teldon30]

Hard to think of something to comment on...so sad :(

[Clara Lou]

Painful. Sad. Life can be like that, though.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Oh my gosh. How horrible.

[Inspectorette]

This goes beyond tragic...

[Clara Lou]

PS: I checked this at Snopes.com-- it's true.

[Clara Lou]

PS: I checked this at Snopes.com-- it's true.
The above is a big "oops." Wrong thread.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

It is true. It has been on the local TV stations, and in the Pittsburgh newspapers. He was on his way home for his mother's funeral. He leaves behind two young sons.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Yes, it's true. The story of him coming home for the funeral was in the paper last week. This just happened.

[Stewart_B]

Momma and her boy are togeather again. Im happy for them.

[smokeyb]

Beaver Falls is just outside of Pittsburgh, less than an hour drive for me. This was a very sad story around here.

What makes it even sadder is that Beaver had an outbreak of hepatitis A last week and one of the first of dozens infected just died. A sad weekend in Beaver Falls. Our prayers go out to all of them.

[smokeyb]

The family asked that his return be sped up so that they could have the funeral for both and they came through.