USMC Lance Corporal
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Lance Corporal Jesse R. Harden, United States Marine Corps, was born on February 14, 1983, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and passed away on December 17, 2005, in Springfield, Missouri, as the result of a motor vehicle accident. Jesse was a 2002 graduate of Ozark High School. On July 3, 2002, he entered his service with the United States Marine Corps. He faithfully served his country for two years in Operation Iraq Freedom II. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. While serving in Iraq, he was an Arabic translator. He also spoke Russian and German and was learning Hebrew. At the time of his death, Lance Corporal Harden was a member of Weapons Company, Third Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, United States Marine Corps Reserve, of Springfield, where he was active in the Toys For Tots campaign. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 14000. During his free time, he enjoyed working on computers, reading, camping and playing video games. He is survived by his mother and father, Terri McGee and Paul Crider, of Highlandville; his biological father, Michael Decker, of Kansas City, Missouri; grandparents, Kenneth and Mike Ekberg, of Florida; two sisters, Ashley Crider, of Ozark and Ginger McGee, of Highlandville; two half sisters, Ashley Barrett, of Springfield and Sophia Decker, of Kansas City, Missouri; several aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of other relatives, friends and members of the Marine Corps. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Rosetta Crider; and paternal grandparents, Roy and Frances Decker. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 22, 2005, in the chapel of Thieme-Shadel Funeral Service at Rivermonte. Interment with full Marine Corps honors will follow in Missouri Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight, in the funeral home. In his honor, a memorial has been established for Toys For Tots, 1110 North Fremont Avenue, Springfield, MO 65802-3591 or Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517, or they may be left at the funeral home. Online personal condolences may be made at www.thieme-shadel.com
A Friend Pays His Respect Blog Entry www.vapor.org This weekend there was a car accident in downtown Springfield that took the life of my friend Jesse Harden. I have been putting off writing anything here about it because I am not quite sure what to say about the guy that would do him justice. At 22 years old he had already led an extraordinary life that I found inspiring. As a Marine he had fought in Iraq, surviving 3 IED attacks, daily mortar bombardments on his base, stray bullets passing through his tent, and a multitude of other events fighting for the country he believed in and to help another country gain the freedom we enjoy. He could always make us laugh, was extremely intelligent, and had the type of personality that just made you like him no matter what. I already miss "Marine," I will never forget him, I was proud of him and being able to call him a friend, and I am better for having known him. The world has gotten darker for all of us that had the honor and privilege of knowing and loving him.
Webmaster Note - Jesse was a friend to my one of my nephews and a fellow graduate of Ozark High School. No matter who you are or where you live, one day you will be touched by the pain caused by a hit and run driver. |
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