Saturday, June 30, 2012
Lexington residents honored 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl of Lexington during his funeral procession on Sunset Boulevard Saturday.
Lexington residents donned their red, white and blue Saturday and lined the sidewalks of Sunset Boulevard. Kids waved miniature flags. People stood with their hands over their hearts. It was quiet. It wasn't a Fourth of July celebration, but it was a show of patriotism. "I've lived in Lexington for 40 years and I've never seen this many people at one thing to honor one person," Joe Williams said. The hundreds of people were there to pay their respects to fallen soldier 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl of Lexington. Rawl, 30, was killed in a suicide bomber attack in Afghanistan June 20, along with two other South Carolina Army Guardsmen: Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Bradford Thomas, 30, of Easley and Spc. John David Meador II, 36, of Columbia. Saturday, …
Lexington businesses are showing their support for the families of 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl and Sgt. John David Meador who both died in Afghanistan last week.
Businesses around town are displaying messages of support for the families of 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl and Sgt. John Meador who died in Afghanistan last week. Lexington Mayor and Chamber President Randy Halfacre asked businesses last week to honor the soldiers with messages of support on their marquees. Rawl's funeral procession Saturday morning will pass by many of the businesses who put up messages and flags. Residents will also be lining the streets with flags and banners. Meador's funeral procession will be from the Caughman-Harman Funeral Home St. Andrews Chapel on Bush River Road to Seacoast Church on St. Andrews Road. See also:
First Lt. Ryan Rawl and Sgt. John David Meador are mourned by friends and family on Saturday morning, and Westboro Baptist Church threatens to protest.
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Friday, June 29, 2012
Lexington resident Albert Jabs explains why he disagrees with Westboro Baptist Church's plans to protest at the funerals of two Midlands soldiers Saturday.
As a former American soldier (Korean War Period), professor of history/government, missionary, and Lutheran Lay leader, I must dissent from the plans and perspective of my Westboro brethren in their misguided protest of the Midlands soldiers' funerals. Why must I dissent? Essentially, the total Scripture message has to do with love of God and love of the neighbor. This has to do with respect, dignity, and honor for their specific calling, serving as soldiers, in this blessed land of America, in which Sgt. John Meador, Lt. Ryan Davis Rawl, and Sgt. Matthew Thomas gave the supreme sacrifice. They are our brothers who have fallen in defense of their country. Paradoxically, in their supreme sacrifices, and in the sacrifices of others, like …
People will be standing along the funeral procession routes Saturday in honor of 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl and Sgt. John David Meador.
Midlands residents will line the streets Saturday for the funeral processions of two S.C. National Guardsmen who were killed in Afghanistan last week. 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl's funeral will be at 10 a.m. at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church. Sunset Boulevard between Northwood Road and Old Cherokee Road will close at 9 a.m. for an hour-long procession from Barr-Price Funeral Home to the church. Motorists can expect delays on Sunset Boulevard, North Lake Drive and South Lake Drive during that hour. Rawl, who was also a deputy with the Richland County Sheriff's Department, will be honored by his fellow deputies. "As a deputy, Rawl was willing to stand up to protect and serve. It was with that same pride he did so in his military uniform," Sheriff …
33.99707
-81.22168
Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church
5503 Sunset Blvd, Lexington, SC
/articles/hundreds-to-gather-in-honor-of-fallen-soldiers
1941031
/locations/7346836
33.99221
-81.23362
Barr-Price Funeral Home & Crematorium
609 Northwood Rd, Lexington, SC
/articles/hundreds-to-gather-in-honor-of-fallen-soldiers
1941230
/locations/7346837
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Services for 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl and Spc. John David Meador II will be held Saturday at two Columbia-area churches.
Funeral services for two South Carolina National Guardsmen who were killed last week in a suicide bombing attack in Afghanistan will be held Saturday. The service for 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl will be at 10 a.m. at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church in Lexington. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Barr-Price Funeral Home. Spc. John David Meador's funeral will take place at 10 a.m. at Seacoast Church on St. Andrews Road. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home's Irmo/St. Andrews Chapel. Community members are planning to line the streets with flags and banners for the funeral processions Saturday, according to a Facebook page called "Stand Up for a Fallen Hero." A post on the page Wednesday said …
33.99707
-81.22168
Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church
5503 Sunset Blvd, Lexington, SC
/articles/funeral-services-for-national-guardsmen-set-for-saturday
1941031
/locations/7336534
33.99221
-81.23362
Barr-Price Funeral Home & Crematorium
609 Northwood Rd, Lexington, SC
/articles/funeral-services-for-national-guardsmen-set-for-saturday
1941230
/locations/7336535
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Lexington High School graduate Spc. John David Meador II, 36, of Columbia was among three soldiers killed in Khost City, Khost Province, Afghanistan, when his patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber.
The identity of a second Columbia guardsman killed in Afghanistan was released Thursday afternoon by the South Carolina Army National Guard. Spc. John David "JD" Meador II, 36, of Columbia was killed in Khost City, Khost Province, Afghanistan, when his patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber. According to Meador's Facebook page, he is a 1994 graduate of Lexington High School and is the owner of Southeast Woodworks. In addition to Meador, 1st. Lt. Ryan Rawl, a deputy with Richland County Sheriff's Office, and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Thomas of Easley were killed in the attack. "These men died serving their country and I want to expresses my deepest sympathy and condolences to their families, who are the unsung heroes of our war effort," said …
Two other Guardsmen from Columbia and Easley also killed in Wednesday suicide bombing attack in Afghanistan's war-torn Khost Province.
Update: 6 p.m. -- In addition to Richland County's Ryan Rawl, the S.C. National Guard has named two other South Carolinians killed in Wednesday's suicide attack in Afghanistan. Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston, Jr, the state's Adjutant General, identified the other soldiers as Spc. John Meador II of Columbia, and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Bradford "Brad" Thomas of Easley. Five guardsmen were also wounded in the attack, Livingston said. Wednesday’s attack took place in a marketplace in the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border and about 90 miles southeast of the Afghan capital, Kabul, said the Associated Press. The assailant approached on foot through the shops and taxi stands packed with people and then detonated his explosives as he approached…
Laura
10:29 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Our hearts and prayers go out to our fallen heros and their loved ones. We all need to support the military and their families. They have given our country the ultimate sacrifice! God Bless Them! more ›