Ssgt Bradley Marion

SSGT Bradley David Marion, 34, a resident of Rock Island, Illinois died unexpectedly on Sunday, October 24, 2010 while attending the Senior Leader’s Course at Camp Dodge, Iowa.

His funeral service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 28, 2010 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 3775 Middle Rd. in Bettendorf where he was a member. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf and an hour before services Thursday at the church. Memorials may be made to the family for an educational fund for his children.

He was born August 24, 1976 in Davenport, Iowa, the son of Otto H. “Bud” & Gail (Wuellner) Marion and was a 1994 graduate of Bettendorf High School. While a student at BHS, he played varsity football and was a member of the Iowa State Championship team when he was a junior.

After graduating from high school, Brad enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Korea. He was a third generation wartime veteran and was a true patriot. Following his honorable discharge from the Army, he enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 2002 and was a member of its 2 ^nd Battalion, 123 ^rd Field Artillery based in Milan, Illinois. He served in Iraq with Battery B, 2 ^nd Battalion, 123 ^rd Field Artillery from October 2004 to December 2005 and in Afghanistan with Troop C, 2 ^nd Squadron, 106 ^th Cavalry Regiment from October 2008 to September 2009.

His awards include the Army Service Ribbon, two National Defense Service Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, Good Conduct Medal, two Overseas Service Ribbons, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Driver & Mechanic Badge for Wheeled Vehicles, the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, the Combat Action Badge, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development ribbon and the Global War on Terrorism Ribbon.

On July 13, 2008, he was united in marriage to Dawn R. Hardy at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bettendorf.

Brad was employed full-time with the National Guard as a federal technician in the Field Maintenance Support 19 in Milan. The course he was attending at the time of his death, formerly the Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course is for senior non-commissioned officers.

His family, his military service and “off-roading” were the joys of his life. Brad lived his live to the fullest and although his life on earth was brief, he will forever be fondly remembered in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

During his spare time, Brad passion was “off-roading” in his modified Jeep and spending time in his workshop where he could build virtually anything. He was a member of WEROCK, an off-roading organization and a loyal devotee of Pirate 4X4.

Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife, Dawn; his children, Karrissa, Kelciee & Darian; his parents, Bud & Sue Marion of Bettendorf and Gail & Steve Harold of Chattanooga, Tennessee; and his grandmothers, Winola Marion of Bettendorf, Elsie Wuellner in Colorado and Madelyn Linden of Dubuque, Iowa.

His grandfathers, Otto Marion and Cliff Wuellner preceded him in death.