Funeral planned Saturday for Lula soldier killed in Afghanistan

The funeral service for an Army National guardsman from Lula killed in action in Afghanistan will be held on Saturday.



Maj. Kevin M. Jenrette, 37, of Lula, died near Kapisa, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.

Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, and Friday, June 12, at Memorial Park Funeral Home, located at 2030 Memorial Park Road, Gainesville.

The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, at Timber Ridge Baptist Church, located at 4895 Timber Ridge Road in Lula. Burial will follow at Timber Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery.

Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville, will be handling the funeral arrangements.

The City of Lula placed flags along several city streets to honor and acknowledge the sacrifices and loss that the Jenrette family and the community have experienced.

“Kevin was a super nice guy,” Lula Mayor Milton Turner said. “He was in the ranger camp when he first came to Lula.”

Jenrette and his wife, Shannon Parker, Lula, have three children.

Other Georgia guardsman also killed were: Staff Sgt. John C. Beale, 39, of Riverdale, and Spc. Jeffrey W. Jordan, 21, of Rome. The three men were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 108th Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Georgia Army National Guard in Calhoun.

"Today's news that Major Kevin Jenrette, SSG John Beale and SPC Jeffrey Jordan died serving in Afghanistan is a sobering reminder of the dangers our citizen soldiers face there everyday," Gov. Sonny Perdue said. "I know the families' of these guardsmen have broken hearts and though we can not comprehend the loss they are feeling, Mary and I join them in mourning. I have personally visited with our troops both here and overseas and I am always deeply moved by their dedication to serve others. These men and women go where they are asked on a moment's notice, leaving behind families and communities that miss them dearly. It is our responsibly to do all that we can to comfort these families and all of the families with a loved one in the line of duty."

Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, Georgia's Adjutant General said: "The recent death of three Georgia Guardsman is very traumatic to our Georgia National Guard family. Their deaths occurring so early in the deployment of the 48th Brigade underscores the very real challenges facing our soldiers and the inherent risks of the mission. We extend our heartfelt condolences and support to the families of these brave guardsmen."