Sgt. Michael W. Heede Jr., 22, of Delta, Pennsylvania, was a 2005 graduate of Kennard-Dale High School in Fawn Grove, PA, where he was an excellent lacrosse and cross country athlete. Mike was a volunteer fireman for the Whiteford Volunteer Fire Department and also enjoyed camping with his family and friends. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005 and completed recruit training December 2, 2005, at Parris Island, N.C. and Marine Combat Training Camp in Camp Geiger, N.C. Michael served in Iraq from November 2006 to April 2007. Among his citations was the Combat Action Ribbon, awarded only to Marines who have come under enemy fire; Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons. He was currently assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California, and deployed in May 2009 as part of the newly ordered build-up of American Forces. He died July 13 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Mike is survived by his mother, Gloria Jean Lewis Crothers of Edgewood, Maryland; his brother, Damien A. Crothers of Edgewood, MD; his sister, Megan A. Schwab and husband, Petty Officer Matthew P. Schwab, of Washington State; grandfather, Joseph A. DePasquale Sr. of Perry Hall, MD; aunts and uncles, Tom and Kelley Acree of White Marsh, MD, Joe A. DePasquale Jr. of Newark, DE, Bobbie Jo Martens of White Marsh, MD and Myra DePasquale of Bel Air, MD; great aunts and uncles, Randy C. and Janie H. Young of Myrtle Beach, SC, Donalda L. Pennington of Myrtle Beach, SC, Gilbert and Rosie Romero of North Aurora, IL, Donald R. and Carol J. Thomas of Mt. Airy, NC, Debbie A. Chalmers of Clemmons, NC, Floyd Hathaway of Myrtle Beach, SC and John and Manuela Hathaway of Conway, SC; nephew Ryan X. Schwab of Washington State; niece Aurora L. Schwab of Washington State; and many cousins. He was predeceased by his grandmother, Ruth A. DePasquale.