Added by request of Judi Wollenziehn, Kansas City, MO:
Michael Mazzarella and his 22-year-old son had plans for next year. When Pvt. Anthony Mazzarella got home from Iraq, in February or so, the two of them would take off somewhere - maybe cruise the Mediterranean, or "jump in the car, drive south and hang out together." That's how much they enjoyed each other's company.
But with his son's death Tuesday in a Humvee accident near Baghdad, the father was making plans instead for a memorial service. Mazzarella was the 54th soldier from Kansas' Fort Riley to die in support of military operations in Iraq, where he was deployed in March. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 13th Armor, 1st Armored Division after enlisting two years ago with a friend.
"He was a real sociable person," Michael Mazzarella said. "He was a little wiry guy in the best shape of his life, real buff. He would walk into a place and really know how to work a room. "Anthony had a joy for life. He did what he wanted to do." A 2001 graduate of Blue Springs South High, where he had been in Junior ROTC as a freshman, Mazzarella delivered pizzas and played guitar with a small band before deciding to enlist.
"After the invasion into Iraq he talked about going into the Army ... seeing the world ... driving a tank," his father said. "I felt a sense of pride when he told me." His son's first commission was in Korea. After returning to Fort Riley in October, he came home many weekends to see his father and brother, Nick Mazzarella. The boys' mother died in September 2003 after a brief illness.
The last time Anthony and Michael spoke by telephone was on Father's Day. When two soldiers came to his house Tuesday night, the father "knew right away" why they were there. "I had thought the odds were with us that he would come home in one piece," he said.
Anthony M. Mazzarella, 22, Blue Springs, MO, passed away July 5, 2005, in Taj, Iraq, were he was stationed with the U.S. Army. Visitation will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday July 14, 2005, at Webb-Freer Funeral Home, 205 SW 17th Street, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015. Funeral services with burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, 2005, at Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery. (Arr. Webb-Freer Funeral Home 816-229-2101)
Published in the Kansas City Star on 7/13/2005
Michael Mazzarella and his 22-year-old son had plans for next year. When Pvt. Anthony Mazzarella got home from Iraq, in February or so, the two of them would take off somewhere - maybe cruise the Mediterranean, or "jump in the car, drive south and hang out together." That's how much they enjoyed each other's company.
But with his son's death Tuesday in a Humvee accident near Baghdad, the father was making plans instead for a memorial service. Mazzarella was the 54th soldier from Kansas' Fort Riley to die in support of military operations in Iraq, where he was deployed in March. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 13th Armor, 1st Armored Division after enlisting two years ago with a friend.
"He was a real sociable person," Michael Mazzarella said. "He was a little wiry guy in the best shape of his life, real buff. He would walk into a place and really know how to work a room. "Anthony had a joy for life. He did what he wanted to do." A 2001 graduate of Blue Springs South High, where he had been in Junior ROTC as a freshman, Mazzarella delivered pizzas and played guitar with a small band before deciding to enlist.
"After the invasion into Iraq he talked about going into the Army ... seeing the world ... driving a tank," his father said. "I felt a sense of pride when he told me." His son's first commission was in Korea. After returning to Fort Riley in October, he came home many weekends to see his father and brother, Nick Mazzarella. The boys' mother died in September 2003 after a brief illness.
The last time Anthony and Michael spoke by telephone was on Father's Day. When two soldiers came to his house Tuesday night, the father "knew right away" why they were there. "I had thought the odds were with us that he would come home in one piece," he said.
Anthony M. Mazzarella, 22, Blue Springs, MO, passed away July 5, 2005, in Taj, Iraq, were he was stationed with the U.S. Army. Visitation will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday July 14, 2005, at Webb-Freer Funeral Home, 205 SW 17th Street, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015. Funeral services with burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, 2005, at Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery. (Arr. Webb-Freer Funeral Home 816-229-2101)
Published in the Kansas City Star on 7/13/2005
Added by request of Judi Wollenziehn, Kansas City, MO:
Michael Mazzarella and his 22-year-old son had plans for next year. When Pvt. Anthony Mazzarella got home from Iraq, in February or so, the two of them would take off somewhere - maybe cruise the Mediterranean, or "jump in the car, drive south and hang out together." That's how much they enjoyed each other's company.
But with his son's death Tuesday in a Humvee accident near Baghdad, the father was making plans instead for a memorial service. Mazzarella was the 54th soldier from Kansas' Fort Riley to die in support of military operations in Iraq, where he was deployed in March. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 13th Armor, 1st Armored Division after enlisting two years ago with a friend.
"He was a real sociable person," Michael Mazzarella said. "He was a little wiry guy in the best shape of his life, real buff. He would walk into a place and really know how to work a room. "Anthony had a joy for life. He did what he wanted to do." A 2001 graduate of Blue Springs South High, where he had been in Junior ROTC as a freshman, Mazzarella delivered pizzas and played guitar with a small band before deciding to enlist.
"After the invasion into Iraq he talked about going into the Army ... seeing the world ... driving a tank," his father said. "I felt a sense of pride when he told me." His son's first commission was in Korea. After returning to Fort Riley in October, he came home many weekends to see his father and brother, Nick Mazzarella. The boys' mother died in September 2003 after a brief illness.
The last time Anthony and Michael spoke by telephone was on Father's Day. When two soldiers came to his house Tuesday night, the father "knew right away" why they were there. "I had thought the odds were with us that he would come home in one piece," he said.
Anthony M. Mazzarella, 22, Blue Springs, MO, passed away July 5, 2005, in Taj, Iraq, were he was stationed with the U.S. Army. Visitation will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday July 14, 2005, at Webb-Freer Funeral Home, 205 SW 17th Street, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015. Funeral services with burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, 2005, at Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery. (Arr. Webb-Freer Funeral Home 816-229-2101)
Published in the Kansas City Star on 7/13/2005
Michael Mazzarella and his 22-year-old son had plans for next year. When Pvt. Anthony Mazzarella got home from Iraq, in February or so, the two of them would take off somewhere - maybe cruise the Mediterranean, or "jump in the car, drive south and hang out together." That's how much they enjoyed each other's company.
But with his son's death Tuesday in a Humvee accident near Baghdad, the father was making plans instead for a memorial service. Mazzarella was the 54th soldier from Kansas' Fort Riley to die in support of military operations in Iraq, where he was deployed in March. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 13th Armor, 1st Armored Division after enlisting two years ago with a friend.
"He was a real sociable person," Michael Mazzarella said. "He was a little wiry guy in the best shape of his life, real buff. He would walk into a place and really know how to work a room. "Anthony had a joy for life. He did what he wanted to do." A 2001 graduate of Blue Springs South High, where he had been in Junior ROTC as a freshman, Mazzarella delivered pizzas and played guitar with a small band before deciding to enlist.
"After the invasion into Iraq he talked about going into the Army ... seeing the world ... driving a tank," his father said. "I felt a sense of pride when he told me." His son's first commission was in Korea. After returning to Fort Riley in October, he came home many weekends to see his father and brother, Nick Mazzarella. The boys' mother died in September 2003 after a brief illness.
The last time Anthony and Michael spoke by telephone was on Father's Day. When two soldiers came to his house Tuesday night, the father "knew right away" why they were there. "I had thought the odds were with us that he would come home in one piece," he said.
Anthony M. Mazzarella, 22, Blue Springs, MO, passed away July 5, 2005, in Taj, Iraq, were he was stationed with the U.S. Army. Visitation will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday July 14, 2005, at Webb-Freer Funeral Home, 205 SW 17th Street, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015. Funeral services with burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, 2005, at Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery. (Arr. Webb-Freer Funeral Home 816-229-2101)
Published in the Kansas City Star on 7/13/2005
Inscription
Private 1st Class, U.S. Army, Iraq; Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal; Beloved son and brother
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