Soldier laid to rest [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

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Soldier laid to rest
By Chad Lawhorn (Contact)

Friday, October 28, 2005

Tonganoxie — Nothing was going to stand in the way of Tonganoxie residents properly honoring the memory of fallen soldier and resident Lucas Frantz on Thursday.

More than 300 U.S. flags lined the four-mile route to the cemetery, and a crowd estimated at 400 people attended the memorial service for the 22-year-old U.S. Army specialist who was killed Oct. 18 while serving in Iraq.

The crowd also successfully ignored about a dozen protesters who were followers of Topeka minister Fred Phelps. Phelps’ followers, with the Westboro Baptist Church, have claimed God is on the side of terrorists.

Community members installed an approximately 10-foot high banner that blocked the view of the memorial site from protesters.
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About 200 veterans riding motorcycles attended the funeral as counterprotesters, said Tonganoxie Police Chief Kenny Carpenter. Carpenter said he had about 30 law enforcement officers from his police department, the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol on site. He said officers did not have to respond to any incidents.
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http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/oct/28/soldier_laid_rest/?city_local

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Posted on Sun, Oct. 23, 2005
City honors slain soldier

Associated Press

TONGANOXIE - Former Tonganoxie High School football star Lucas Frantz, who was killed in Iraq, was remembered Friday in an emotional ceremony that included the school retiring his jersey.

Frantz died Tuesday, his 22nd birthday, after being shot by a sniper while on a routine military patrol in Mosul, Iraq.

His wife, Kelly, and about 30 of his former Tonganoxie football teammates and friends took part in the ceremony to retire jersey number 69.
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Pastor Fred Phelps, of Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church, and 11 members of his congregation protested before the ceremony. They have protested at several military-related events, including funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, claiming that God is supporting the terrorists in Iraq.

Members of the Combat Veteran Motorcycles Association stood between the Phelps group and the stadium, and no incidents were reported.
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http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/local/12973847.htm

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Notice: Kansas City Star
Army Spc. Lucas A. Frantz, 22, of Tonganoxie, Kan., was killed by sniper fire Oct. 18 in Mosul.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/12973149.htm

Spc. Lucas A. Frantz, 22, of Tonganoxie, Kan., died in Mosul, Iraq, on Oct. 18, when he was hit by enemy fire while performing a combat mission. Frantz was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Sryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_26714.shtml