The family of a 19-year-old Marietta soldier killed in Iraq on Monday will be able to say goodbye to their son, brother, and uncle when his body is returned to Marietta before being laid to rest in his hometown in Mexico.
The body of Sprayberry High School graduate Army Pfc. Jesus Fonseca, who was killed in Iraq when a car bomb exploded, was originally going to be sent to Jalisco, Mexico, where his wife lives. But his parents and five siblings, who have lived in Marietta for 10 years, asked for a chance to say goodbye, older sister Patricia Fonseca Rodriguez said. She said she does not know the exact date of the funeral.
SouthCare funeral home in Marietta has agreed to pay the cost of sending Fonseca's remains to Mexico. The funeral home also is in the process of working with the family and the U.S. State Department to make travel arrangements for the soldier's body, first to Marietta and later to Mexico.
"At this point, we don't know what day," SouthCare executive director Chris Nuzum said.
Fonseca trained in Fort Benning for three months during summer 2003 before he was sent to South Korea for six months with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division based at Camp Casey near Seoul, South Korea.
"It's kind of hard," said Fonseca's 15-year-old brother Ricardo. "It's been a long time since we have seen him. They brought him back, but they brought him back dead."
During a week's leave in December 2003, he returned home for the last time, stopping in Mexico to marry Marlen Zaragoza, before being sent to Ramadi, 70 miles south of Baghdad.
"He wanted to be in the CIA, like a secret agent," Ms. Rodriguez said.
She said many Hispanics join the military to improve their financial situation.
"Not a whole lot of Hispanics graduate because they end up working to support their large families," Ms. Rodriguez said.
Fonseca, however, wanted to travel the world and viewed the military as a way to pay his college tuition, she said.
When he first started out in Iraq, Fonseca seemed happy enough, responsible for firing large artillery guns, his sister said.
His e-mails home made Ms. Rodriguez laugh, as he informed her in tongue-in-cheek ways that he was still alive, urging the family to send "cookies, magazines and Clearasil or something for my face. I don't want acne."
But when Fonseca was transferred to a new job that required him to go house to house in search of enemies, Ms. Rodriguez said, his entire personality changed.
On Christmas Eve, he called sounding depressed, telling her a fellow soldier had been shot in front to him.
The last time she spoke with him was Saturday, when Ms. Rodriguez asked him when he would return home.
"We don't know, we don't know anything," he told her.
"Who knows what he was going through?" she said. "Who knows what those kids are going through? They are just babies."
Ms. Rodriguez described her brother as funny, loving and spontaneous - the kind of guy who would do anything for someone in need.
"There was something in him that if you were to talk to him for at least an hour, you would know he was a good person," she said.
But now that he's gone and all that is left are his e-mails, the family's grief is overwhelming.
"That's all that's left," Ms. Rodriguez said. "Just words and letters and memories. We pray every night at 8 o'clock. We're tired because there's not a body. We're praying on pictures.
"There is so much, so many things we're going to miss, so much," she said.
∼Pfc. Jesus Fonseca Jr., 19, of Marietta, died Monday, January 17, 2005 while defending his country in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He is survived by his wife, Marlen of Jalisco, Mexico, his father, Jesus Fonseca, Sr. (D.3/3/2004), mother, Gloria Fonseca, sisters, Patricia Rodriguez, Gloria Fonseca, brothers, Jose Fonseca, Ricardo Fonseca, David Fonseca, all of Marietta, GA; many aunts, uncles nieces, nephews, friends and one grateful nation. The Community is invited to attend. Burial will be held in Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico with full military honors.
The body of Sprayberry High School graduate Army Pfc. Jesus Fonseca, who was killed in Iraq when a car bomb exploded, was originally going to be sent to Jalisco, Mexico, where his wife lives. But his parents and five siblings, who have lived in Marietta for 10 years, asked for a chance to say goodbye, older sister Patricia Fonseca Rodriguez said. She said she does not know the exact date of the funeral.
SouthCare funeral home in Marietta has agreed to pay the cost of sending Fonseca's remains to Mexico. The funeral home also is in the process of working with the family and the U.S. State Department to make travel arrangements for the soldier's body, first to Marietta and later to Mexico.
"At this point, we don't know what day," SouthCare executive director Chris Nuzum said.
Fonseca trained in Fort Benning for three months during summer 2003 before he was sent to South Korea for six months with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division based at Camp Casey near Seoul, South Korea.
"It's kind of hard," said Fonseca's 15-year-old brother Ricardo. "It's been a long time since we have seen him. They brought him back, but they brought him back dead."
During a week's leave in December 2003, he returned home for the last time, stopping in Mexico to marry Marlen Zaragoza, before being sent to Ramadi, 70 miles south of Baghdad.
"He wanted to be in the CIA, like a secret agent," Ms. Rodriguez said.
She said many Hispanics join the military to improve their financial situation.
"Not a whole lot of Hispanics graduate because they end up working to support their large families," Ms. Rodriguez said.
Fonseca, however, wanted to travel the world and viewed the military as a way to pay his college tuition, she said.
When he first started out in Iraq, Fonseca seemed happy enough, responsible for firing large artillery guns, his sister said.
His e-mails home made Ms. Rodriguez laugh, as he informed her in tongue-in-cheek ways that he was still alive, urging the family to send "cookies, magazines and Clearasil or something for my face. I don't want acne."
But when Fonseca was transferred to a new job that required him to go house to house in search of enemies, Ms. Rodriguez said, his entire personality changed.
On Christmas Eve, he called sounding depressed, telling her a fellow soldier had been shot in front to him.
The last time she spoke with him was Saturday, when Ms. Rodriguez asked him when he would return home.
"We don't know, we don't know anything," he told her.
"Who knows what he was going through?" she said. "Who knows what those kids are going through? They are just babies."
Ms. Rodriguez described her brother as funny, loving and spontaneous - the kind of guy who would do anything for someone in need.
"There was something in him that if you were to talk to him for at least an hour, you would know he was a good person," she said.
But now that he's gone and all that is left are his e-mails, the family's grief is overwhelming.
"That's all that's left," Ms. Rodriguez said. "Just words and letters and memories. We pray every night at 8 o'clock. We're tired because there's not a body. We're praying on pictures.
"There is so much, so many things we're going to miss, so much," she said.
∼Pfc. Jesus Fonseca Jr., 19, of Marietta, died Monday, January 17, 2005 while defending his country in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He is survived by his wife, Marlen of Jalisco, Mexico, his father, Jesus Fonseca, Sr. (D.3/3/2004), mother, Gloria Fonseca, sisters, Patricia Rodriguez, Gloria Fonseca, brothers, Jose Fonseca, Ricardo Fonseca, David Fonseca, all of Marietta, GA; many aunts, uncles nieces, nephews, friends and one grateful nation. The Community is invited to attend. Burial will be held in Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico with full military honors.
The family of a 19-year-old Marietta soldier killed in Iraq on Monday will be able to say goodbye to their son, brother, and uncle when his body is returned to Marietta before being laid to rest in his hometown in Mexico.
The body of Sprayberry High School graduate Army Pfc. Jesus Fonseca, who was killed in Iraq when a car bomb exploded, was originally going to be sent to Jalisco, Mexico, where his wife lives. But his parents and five siblings, who have lived in Marietta for 10 years, asked for a chance to say goodbye, older sister Patricia Fonseca Rodriguez said. She said she does not know the exact date of the funeral.
SouthCare funeral home in Marietta has agreed to pay the cost of sending Fonseca's remains to Mexico. The funeral home also is in the process of working with the family and the U.S. State Department to make travel arrangements for the soldier's body, first to Marietta and later to Mexico.
"At this point, we don't know what day," SouthCare executive director Chris Nuzum said.
Fonseca trained in Fort Benning for three months during summer 2003 before he was sent to South Korea for six months with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division based at Camp Casey near Seoul, South Korea.
"It's kind of hard," said Fonseca's 15-year-old brother Ricardo. "It's been a long time since we have seen him. They brought him back, but they brought him back dead."
During a week's leave in December 2003, he returned home for the last time, stopping in Mexico to marry Marlen Zaragoza, before being sent to Ramadi, 70 miles south of Baghdad.
"He wanted to be in the CIA, like a secret agent," Ms. Rodriguez said.
She said many Hispanics join the military to improve their financial situation.
"Not a whole lot of Hispanics graduate because they end up working to support their large families," Ms. Rodriguez said.
Fonseca, however, wanted to travel the world and viewed the military as a way to pay his college tuition, she said.
When he first started out in Iraq, Fonseca seemed happy enough, responsible for firing large artillery guns, his sister said.
His e-mails home made Ms. Rodriguez laugh, as he informed her in tongue-in-cheek ways that he was still alive, urging the family to send "cookies, magazines and Clearasil or something for my face. I don't want acne."
But when Fonseca was transferred to a new job that required him to go house to house in search of enemies, Ms. Rodriguez said, his entire personality changed.
On Christmas Eve, he called sounding depressed, telling her a fellow soldier had been shot in front to him.
The last time she spoke with him was Saturday, when Ms. Rodriguez asked him when he would return home.
"We don't know, we don't know anything," he told her.
"Who knows what he was going through?" she said. "Who knows what those kids are going through? They are just babies."
Ms. Rodriguez described her brother as funny, loving and spontaneous - the kind of guy who would do anything for someone in need.
"There was something in him that if you were to talk to him for at least an hour, you would know he was a good person," she said.
But now that he's gone and all that is left are his e-mails, the family's grief is overwhelming.
"That's all that's left," Ms. Rodriguez said. "Just words and letters and memories. We pray every night at 8 o'clock. We're tired because there's not a body. We're praying on pictures.
"There is so much, so many things we're going to miss, so much," she said.
∼Pfc. Jesus Fonseca Jr., 19, of Marietta, died Monday, January 17, 2005 while defending his country in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He is survived by his wife, Marlen of Jalisco, Mexico, his father, Jesus Fonseca, Sr. (D.3/3/2004), mother, Gloria Fonseca, sisters, Patricia Rodriguez, Gloria Fonseca, brothers, Jose Fonseca, Ricardo Fonseca, David Fonseca, all of Marietta, GA; many aunts, uncles nieces, nephews, friends and one grateful nation. The Community is invited to attend. Burial will be held in Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico with full military honors.
The body of Sprayberry High School graduate Army Pfc. Jesus Fonseca, who was killed in Iraq when a car bomb exploded, was originally going to be sent to Jalisco, Mexico, where his wife lives. But his parents and five siblings, who have lived in Marietta for 10 years, asked for a chance to say goodbye, older sister Patricia Fonseca Rodriguez said. She said she does not know the exact date of the funeral.
SouthCare funeral home in Marietta has agreed to pay the cost of sending Fonseca's remains to Mexico. The funeral home also is in the process of working with the family and the U.S. State Department to make travel arrangements for the soldier's body, first to Marietta and later to Mexico.
"At this point, we don't know what day," SouthCare executive director Chris Nuzum said.
Fonseca trained in Fort Benning for three months during summer 2003 before he was sent to South Korea for six months with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division based at Camp Casey near Seoul, South Korea.
"It's kind of hard," said Fonseca's 15-year-old brother Ricardo. "It's been a long time since we have seen him. They brought him back, but they brought him back dead."
During a week's leave in December 2003, he returned home for the last time, stopping in Mexico to marry Marlen Zaragoza, before being sent to Ramadi, 70 miles south of Baghdad.
"He wanted to be in the CIA, like a secret agent," Ms. Rodriguez said.
She said many Hispanics join the military to improve their financial situation.
"Not a whole lot of Hispanics graduate because they end up working to support their large families," Ms. Rodriguez said.
Fonseca, however, wanted to travel the world and viewed the military as a way to pay his college tuition, she said.
When he first started out in Iraq, Fonseca seemed happy enough, responsible for firing large artillery guns, his sister said.
His e-mails home made Ms. Rodriguez laugh, as he informed her in tongue-in-cheek ways that he was still alive, urging the family to send "cookies, magazines and Clearasil or something for my face. I don't want acne."
But when Fonseca was transferred to a new job that required him to go house to house in search of enemies, Ms. Rodriguez said, his entire personality changed.
On Christmas Eve, he called sounding depressed, telling her a fellow soldier had been shot in front to him.
The last time she spoke with him was Saturday, when Ms. Rodriguez asked him when he would return home.
"We don't know, we don't know anything," he told her.
"Who knows what he was going through?" she said. "Who knows what those kids are going through? They are just babies."
Ms. Rodriguez described her brother as funny, loving and spontaneous - the kind of guy who would do anything for someone in need.
"There was something in him that if you were to talk to him for at least an hour, you would know he was a good person," she said.
But now that he's gone and all that is left are his e-mails, the family's grief is overwhelming.
"That's all that's left," Ms. Rodriguez said. "Just words and letters and memories. We pray every night at 8 o'clock. We're tired because there's not a body. We're praying on pictures.
"There is so much, so many things we're going to miss, so much," she said.
∼Pfc. Jesus Fonseca Jr., 19, of Marietta, died Monday, January 17, 2005 while defending his country in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He is survived by his wife, Marlen of Jalisco, Mexico, his father, Jesus Fonseca, Sr. (D.3/3/2004), mother, Gloria Fonseca, sisters, Patricia Rodriguez, Gloria Fonseca, brothers, Jose Fonseca, Ricardo Fonseca, David Fonseca, all of Marietta, GA; many aunts, uncles nieces, nephews, friends and one grateful nation. The Community is invited to attend. Burial will be held in Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico with full military honors.
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