"The hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen."
LCpl. Bret Michael Poklar, 22, of Willoughby, passed away from a brain trauma Feb. 28, 2013, at 9:15 a.m. at Vidant Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C.
Bret was born Dec. 11, 1990, in Painesville, to Susan and Terry Poklar. "He brought so much love, laughter, pride and joy into our lives."
LCpl. Poklar was stationed at MCAS Cherry Point in Havelock, N.C. He was an air traffic controller and the supervisor of his crew.
Bret was involved in many sports in the Lake County area. He played football for the Willoughby Football League, where as 12-year-olds, they won the National Championship against teams from all over the country. Bret was quarterback. He also played for Willoughby Middle School and Lake Catholic. Bret wrestled at West End YMCA and was coached by the best, Coach Hunter.
His main love was baseball. He played for many travel teams and won many championships. He also played for Lake Catholic and Mario Carrillo.
Bret is survived by his parents, Susan (Richard) Poklar-Albright of Orlando, Fla., and Terry (Elyssa) Poklar of Mentor; brothers, Jesse (Amber) Selby of Madison, Terry of Tampa, Fla., and Christopher of Washington D.C.; sister, Katie of Winchester, Va.; grandmother, Myrna Stroud of Rutherfordton, N.C.; aunts, Andrea (Jamie) Poklar-Byrne, Amy Smith and Jennifer Ours; uncles, Randy (Lea) Stroud, Gary Stroud and Norman (Janeen) Poklar; nieces, Maya and Nina; nephews, Brody, Nathan, Joshua, Matthew and Brady; and cousins, Todd and Ray Tompkins, Ashley Ours, Brad and Zack Smith, Camryn Byrne, Miranda and Norman Poklar and Greg and Stephanie Stroud.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Katherine Poklar; and grandfathers, Norman Poklar and Richard Stroud.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013, at McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home, 6330 Center St., (Route 615, north of Route 2), Mentor.
Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, March 8, 2013, at Immaculate Conception Church, 37940 Euclid Ave., Willoughby. Burial will be in Willoughby Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Willoughby.
"These heroes are dead. They died for liberty - they died for us. They are at rest. They may or may not sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead." ~Robert G. Ingersoll
LCpl. Bret Michael Poklar, 22, of Willoughby, passed away from a brain trauma Feb. 28, 2013, at 9:15 a.m. at Vidant Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C.
Bret was born Dec. 11, 1990, in Painesville, to Susan and Terry Poklar. "He brought so much love, laughter, pride and joy into our lives."
LCpl. Poklar was stationed at MCAS Cherry Point in Havelock, N.C. He was an air traffic controller and the supervisor of his crew.
Bret was involved in many sports in the Lake County area. He played football for the Willoughby Football League, where as 12-year-olds, they won the National Championship against teams from all over the country. Bret was quarterback. He also played for Willoughby Middle School and Lake Catholic. Bret wrestled at West End YMCA and was coached by the best, Coach Hunter.
His main love was baseball. He played for many travel teams and won many championships. He also played for Lake Catholic and Mario Carrillo.
Bret is survived by his parents, Susan (Richard) Poklar-Albright of Orlando, Fla., and Terry (Elyssa) Poklar of Mentor; brothers, Jesse (Amber) Selby of Madison, Terry of Tampa, Fla., and Christopher of Washington D.C.; sister, Katie of Winchester, Va.; grandmother, Myrna Stroud of Rutherfordton, N.C.; aunts, Andrea (Jamie) Poklar-Byrne, Amy Smith and Jennifer Ours; uncles, Randy (Lea) Stroud, Gary Stroud and Norman (Janeen) Poklar; nieces, Maya and Nina; nephews, Brody, Nathan, Joshua, Matthew and Brady; and cousins, Todd and Ray Tompkins, Ashley Ours, Brad and Zack Smith, Camryn Byrne, Miranda and Norman Poklar and Greg and Stephanie Stroud.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Katherine Poklar; and grandfathers, Norman Poklar and Richard Stroud.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013, at McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home, 6330 Center St., (Route 615, north of Route 2), Mentor.
Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, March 8, 2013, at Immaculate Conception Church, 37940 Euclid Ave., Willoughby. Burial will be in Willoughby Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Willoughby.
"These heroes are dead. They died for liberty - they died for us. They are at rest. They may or may not sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead." ~Robert G. Ingersoll
"The hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen."
LCpl. Bret Michael Poklar, 22, of Willoughby, passed away from a brain trauma Feb. 28, 2013, at 9:15 a.m. at Vidant Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C.
Bret was born Dec. 11, 1990, in Painesville, to Susan and Terry Poklar. "He brought so much love, laughter, pride and joy into our lives."
LCpl. Poklar was stationed at MCAS Cherry Point in Havelock, N.C. He was an air traffic controller and the supervisor of his crew.
Bret was involved in many sports in the Lake County area. He played football for the Willoughby Football League, where as 12-year-olds, they won the National Championship against teams from all over the country. Bret was quarterback. He also played for Willoughby Middle School and Lake Catholic. Bret wrestled at West End YMCA and was coached by the best, Coach Hunter.
His main love was baseball. He played for many travel teams and won many championships. He also played for Lake Catholic and Mario Carrillo.
Bret is survived by his parents, Susan (Richard) Poklar-Albright of Orlando, Fla., and Terry (Elyssa) Poklar of Mentor; brothers, Jesse (Amber) Selby of Madison, Terry of Tampa, Fla., and Christopher of Washington D.C.; sister, Katie of Winchester, Va.; grandmother, Myrna Stroud of Rutherfordton, N.C.; aunts, Andrea (Jamie) Poklar-Byrne, Amy Smith and Jennifer Ours; uncles, Randy (Lea) Stroud, Gary Stroud and Norman (Janeen) Poklar; nieces, Maya and Nina; nephews, Brody, Nathan, Joshua, Matthew and Brady; and cousins, Todd and Ray Tompkins, Ashley Ours, Brad and Zack Smith, Camryn Byrne, Miranda and Norman Poklar and Greg and Stephanie Stroud.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Katherine Poklar; and grandfathers, Norman Poklar and Richard Stroud.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013, at McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home, 6330 Center St., (Route 615, north of Route 2), Mentor.
Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, March 8, 2013, at Immaculate Conception Church, 37940 Euclid Ave., Willoughby. Burial will be in Willoughby Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Willoughby.
"These heroes are dead. They died for liberty - they died for us. They are at rest. They may or may not sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead." ~Robert G. Ingersoll
LCpl. Bret Michael Poklar, 22, of Willoughby, passed away from a brain trauma Feb. 28, 2013, at 9:15 a.m. at Vidant Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C.
Bret was born Dec. 11, 1990, in Painesville, to Susan and Terry Poklar. "He brought so much love, laughter, pride and joy into our lives."
LCpl. Poklar was stationed at MCAS Cherry Point in Havelock, N.C. He was an air traffic controller and the supervisor of his crew.
Bret was involved in many sports in the Lake County area. He played football for the Willoughby Football League, where as 12-year-olds, they won the National Championship against teams from all over the country. Bret was quarterback. He also played for Willoughby Middle School and Lake Catholic. Bret wrestled at West End YMCA and was coached by the best, Coach Hunter.
His main love was baseball. He played for many travel teams and won many championships. He also played for Lake Catholic and Mario Carrillo.
Bret is survived by his parents, Susan (Richard) Poklar-Albright of Orlando, Fla., and Terry (Elyssa) Poklar of Mentor; brothers, Jesse (Amber) Selby of Madison, Terry of Tampa, Fla., and Christopher of Washington D.C.; sister, Katie of Winchester, Va.; grandmother, Myrna Stroud of Rutherfordton, N.C.; aunts, Andrea (Jamie) Poklar-Byrne, Amy Smith and Jennifer Ours; uncles, Randy (Lea) Stroud, Gary Stroud and Norman (Janeen) Poklar; nieces, Maya and Nina; nephews, Brody, Nathan, Joshua, Matthew and Brady; and cousins, Todd and Ray Tompkins, Ashley Ours, Brad and Zack Smith, Camryn Byrne, Miranda and Norman Poklar and Greg and Stephanie Stroud.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Katherine Poklar; and grandfathers, Norman Poklar and Richard Stroud.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013, at McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home, 6330 Center St., (Route 615, north of Route 2), Mentor.
Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, March 8, 2013, at Immaculate Conception Church, 37940 Euclid Ave., Willoughby. Burial will be in Willoughby Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Willoughby.
"These heroes are dead. They died for liberty - they died for us. They are at rest. They may or may not sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead." ~Robert G. Ingersoll
