Flags around the county flew at half mast for a week in honor of fallen Marine PFC Ivan Wilson. Although flags have been raised, the grief caused by last week”s tragic news remains.
The Wilson family has requested privacy in their time of mourning; however, a public memorial has been established at Jones & Lewis Memorial Chapel in Lower Lake.
Jones & Lewis General Manager Karen Karnatz reported that the memorial will remain standing until services are held. A guest book will also remain available until the funeral. The public is invited to express their condolences and place remembrances and tributes at the memorial display.
Wilson was killed in the line of duty July 21 while on deployment in Afghanistan, supporting combat operations in the Helmand province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, CA.
Wilson was the first soldier from Lake County to be killed in the current war in the Middle East. He was 22-years-old.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors recognized Wilson in Sept. 2007 with a proclamation commending him for his “commitment, dedication, and service to our nation.” According to the proclamation, Wilson enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on Sept. 11, 2005. He was on his second tour of duty when his life was taken.
The soldier was raised in Clearlake and graduated from Clearlake Community School with the Class of 2004.
The Wilson family has not yet provided the newsroom with an official statement. However, Denise Wilson, Ivan”s mother, has scheduled a media conference for Wednesday morning.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
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