CONOVER - Cpl. Benny "Gray" Cockerham III, USMC, 21, of Conover was killed in action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on Friday, Oct. 21, 2005. He was born at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base on June 28, 1984, to Ben and Jill Wright Cockerham. He graduated from St. Stephens High School in Hickory, where he played soccer all four years. He is survived by his parents, Ben and Jill Cockerham; wife Amanda Johnson Cockerham; younger brother Adam Cockerham, who is a senior at St Stephens High School; and grandparents Benny and Maggie Cockerham of Elkin and Jesse and Audrey Wright of Dobson. Cpl. Cockerham was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq, where he received two Purple Hearts, the Combat Action Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at Catawba Funerals & Cremations in Hickory. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, at Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Conover, where he and his wife attended. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cpl. Benny Gray Cockerham III USMC Memorial Fund, c/o Wake Forest University, P.O. Box 7227, Winston-Salem, NC 27109.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cpl. Benny Gray Cockerham III USMC Memorial Fund, c/o Wake Forest University, P.O. Box 7227, Winston-Salem, NC 27109.
CONOVER - Cpl. Benny "Gray" Cockerham III, USMC, 21, of Conover was killed in action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on Friday, Oct. 21, 2005. He was born at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base on June 28, 1984, to Ben and Jill Wright Cockerham. He graduated from St. Stephens High School in Hickory, where he played soccer all four years. He is survived by his parents, Ben and Jill Cockerham; wife Amanda Johnson Cockerham; younger brother Adam Cockerham, who is a senior at St Stephens High School; and grandparents Benny and Maggie Cockerham of Elkin and Jesse and Audrey Wright of Dobson. Cpl. Cockerham was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq, where he received two Purple Hearts, the Combat Action Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at Catawba Funerals & Cremations in Hickory. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, at Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Conover, where he and his wife attended. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cpl. Benny Gray Cockerham III USMC Memorial Fund, c/o Wake Forest University, P.O. Box 7227, Winston-Salem, NC 27109.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cpl. Benny Gray Cockerham III USMC Memorial Fund, c/o Wake Forest University, P.O. Box 7227, Winston-Salem, NC 27109.
Inscription
CPL
US MARINE CORPS
BRONZE STAR
PH & GS
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
