Holmes, Jeffery

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• published: 17 Apr 2011
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Hartford mourns soldier's death By Andy Netzel | Free Press Staff Writer HARTFORD -- Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffery Holmes was the guy you wanted around during stressful times. It was when times were toughest that he would offer a one-liner or ham up a seemingly embarrassing situation, like the time a slip in a hockey rink caused the hot chocolate in his cup to become frozen chocolate icicles on his face. (He bowed to the fans of the high school playoff game who watched his middle-of-the-ice performance.) It was in one of the toughest places in Iraq that the 20-year-old lifelong Hartford resident was killed Thanksgiving Day -- one of two Marines conducting house-clearing operations in Fallujah who perished after insurgents attacked in this former rebel stronghold. "I tried to get him to go into the Air Force because he'd be more out of harm's way," said Jeffery's father, Scott Holmes, who served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, "but he wanted to be in the infantry. He wanted to be on the front lines. He knew what it could cost him, and it didn't deter him in the least." Holmes was the 15th U.S. serviceman with ties to Vermont to have died in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since the war started in March 2003. As of Sunday, at least 1,237 members of the U.S. military had died in this war. The community in Hartford -- a closeknit town, even with 10,367 residents -- has descended on the Holmes household with food, support and condolences. Patti Holmes, Jeffery's mother, said the rings from her phone were just starting to slow down Sunday evening. Brett Quillia, an 18-year-old who used to play recreational basketball with Holmes, said the news spread quickly around the town. The military informed the Holmes' of their son's death on Friday. By Friday evening, everyone knew about it, Quillia said. Many of Holmes' former classmates at Hartford High School were catching up and celebrating while home from their studies for the holiday. Many found out through cell phone calls, text messages and instant messaging from the Internet. "It's weird," Quillia said. "Iraq is so far away. When someone you know dies, it's different." Justin Severance said the quick-spreading message about his life-long friend's death came in waves to him. He heard it, and he didn't believe it. Then a phone call came. Then another. Now he believes it, but still doesn't want to. Holmes told Severance after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks he was going into the military. Holmes has always been patriotic, but the attacks made him sure he wanted to defend the country, Severance said. He signed up during his junior year of high school. It is the goofy Holmes that sticks in Severance's mind, though. The guy who knew every line to every movie ever made -- especially war movies. "He was the only kid I knew who could get four technical fouls in 30 seconds, and then laugh about it on the bench," Severance said. Lisa Heath worked alongside Holmes on the cooking line at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar in nearby West Lebanon, N.H. Heath, a manager, said Holmes started out as a quiet, hard-working employee. Before long he was talking to everyone. Then his silly side became well known, through instances like the time he forgot his required hat to prevent hair from getting in the food so he tied his undershirt around his head and worked the entire shift like that. Holmes grew up fast, his father said. Entering the military helped changed him from a spirited -- and occasionally trouble-finding youth -- into a responsible man who had great respect for his mother, father and 17-year-old brother, Cory. Memories are everywhere, his father said. There's deer season, when Jeffery Holmes loved to hunt though never bagged a buck. "He couldn't sit still long enough," Scott Holmes said, laughing. There's the old Honda hatchback, his first car that was always in a state of disrepair. "He and I worked on that car more than he drove it," Scott Holmes said. "I wish we could have got it finished." And there's Sunday football. The family gathered Sunday to watch the Philadelphia Eagles play the New York Giants. Jeffery Holmes was an avid Eagles fan, like his dad. Scott Holmes would keep his son up to date on his team by mailing him articles. Watching the game was necessary. Holmes wouldn't have wanted anyone to miss it. Especially since the Eagles thwacked New York, 27-6. Contact Andy Netzel at 660-1867 or anetzel@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com List of soldiers with Vermont ties killed in Iraq Fifteen U.S. servicemen with ties to Vermont have died in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since the war began in March 2003: Army Chief Warrant Officer Erik A. Halvorsen, 40, of Bennington died April 2, 2003, when the helicopter he was in crashed near Karbala. Marine Cpl. Mark Evnin, 21, South Burlington, died April 3, 2003, after a firefight near Kut. Army Sgt. Justin Garvey, 23, who graduated from Proctor High Sc