Former Garland councilman killed in Iraq
Gaston shot while working on project for Halliburton subsidiary
07:59 AM CDT on Friday, September 5, 2003
Vernon Gaston, a former Garland City Council member, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Wednesday of gunshot wounds suffered while driving in a convoy as an employee of Kellogg Brown & Root, a subsidiary of Houston-based Halliburton.
The Rev. Patrick Slack of the First Assembly of God Church in Lampasas, Texas, where Mr. Gaston, 46, and his family were members, confirmed Thursday that company officials had notified Mr. Gaston's family of his death.
The family referred inquiries to former Garland Mayor Bill Tomlinson, who also confirmed Mr. Gaston's death on Thursday.
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"Vernon and I were like brothers," Mr. Tomlinson said. "He loved his family, his four children and his wife, Kaye."
In a statement issued Thursday, Halliburton spokeswoman Wendy Hall declined to identify Mr. Gaston as the employee killed, citing "security reasons."
According to the statement, "The employee was fatally shot in Baghdad while driving a vehicle that was escorted by military personnel. The employee was evacuated to a nearby combat support hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The employee was assigned to KBR's project team supporting the Army Material Command Logcap III Project as part of the mail delivery mission."
It was the second civilian death for the project, Ms. Hall said.
Mr. Gaston was in charge of about 100 people responsible for mail delivery throughout the Middle East, Mr. Tomlinson said.
"He was supposed to return home about a month ago, but they asked him to stay," Mr. Tomlinson said.
Mr. Gaston was a mail carrier in Garland when he was elected to the council in 1991 and 1993 and served as mayor pro tem. He resigned from the council in January 1995, citing conflicts, and moved to the Lampasas area.
"Vernon grew up in Garland, and he loved the city," Mr. Tomlinson said.
The Garland Senior Activity Center was one of Mr. Gaston's priorities. He returned to the city in September 1995 for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"He worked hard for the seniors, and he worked hard for his district," Mr. Tomlinson said.
Mr. Gaston was sometimes outspoken, Mr. Tomlinson said, but he was sincere and honest, and he was a leader.
Jamie Ratliff, another mayor who worked with Mr. Gaston, said he was going to miss him.
"He was one of those guys that whatever he was doing, he was doing 100 percent. He got a lot of living in 46 years," Mr. Ratliff said. "He was a neat guy, a totally loyal individual."
Mr. Gaston was elected to the Lampasas City Council in May 2001 and served until stepping down in November of that year.
In addition to his wife, Kaye, Mr. Gaston is survived by sons Charlie Gaston, Stephen Gaston and Michael Gaston of Lampasas; daughter Kristi Gaston of Lampasas; and parents Marion and Dorothy Gaston of Lampasas.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
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