Staff Sergeant Shaun Michael Mittler, 32, formerly of Gladstone, Mo., perished under enemy fire Sat., July 10, 2010 at the Combat Outpost Able Maine in Watahpur District Afghanistan while serving with the 101st Airborne Division during his third tour of duty. Shaun was born December 13, 1977 at North Kansas City Hospital and was raised in Gladstone, Mo. He attended Oak Park High School, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998, spent time in the Kansas National Guard and returned to active duty after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Prior to his service in Afghanistan, Shaun valiantly served two tours of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additionally, he served at Camp Casey in South Korea, jungle training in Panama and trained in Thailand with Taiwanese soldiers. Shaun loved to return to his childhood when home on leave, playing football, foosball and wrestling with his beloved niece, Madison, and nephews, Anthony and Brenden. Shaun was a very proud soldier and a very proud young man. He was a loving father, son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, and friend. His commitment to our country, his military community, and to his family and friends was unparalleled. We are proud of Shaun - in his life and in his death. May the fight he fought remind us all, that freedom is not free. Shaun, we will miss you and we love you. You will always be our hero and you will never be forgotten. Shaun is preceded in death by his grandfathers, former Gladstone mayor, Leland Bussinger, and Clarence Mittler, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Maricel; daughter, Cristine Mae; mother and step-father, Joyce and Lance Turner; father and step-mother, Terry and Lisa Mittler; sister, Misty and husband, Gary Barclay; brother, Alexander Mittler; grandparents, Lianne Nichols, Delores Arnold, Pat Thiesen and Mary Jane and John Turner; aunts and uncles, Rick and wife, Cindy Bussinger, Robert Bussinger, David and wife, Joanne Bussinger, Danny and wife, Donna Mittler, Karen Webb, Michael Turner and Suzette Yonker; cousins, Becky Sosa, Michael, Eric, Bret, and Erica Bussinger, Kelly Rodgers, Ryder Smith, Jason Mittler, Jared Mittler, Heather Benefeldt, Nichole Mossburger, Chad and Jimmy Yonker, and Adam Perry. Shaun had two very special friends. Richard Dold, a long-time family neighbor in Gladstone was a good listener and mentor to Shaun for many, many years. His second special friend and companion, stationed at Ft. Campbell, was Sergeant Nazia Samat, who is currently serving our Country in Afghanistan. They were supportive of each other in military, college, and both loved sushi. Visitation will be 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Sat., July 24, at the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church (East Entrance), 1600 N. 291 Hwy., Liberty, Mo. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. with entombment following with full military honors at White Chapel Memorial Gardens. The family requests in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to: The Shaun Mittler Memorial Fund, Frontier Community Credit Union, c/o Northeast Kansas Chapter of the American Goldstar Mothers, Attention: Brenda, 690 Eisenhower Road, Leavenworth, KS 66048. (Arr.: D.W. Newcomer's White Chapel Funeral Home, www.dwnwhitechapel.com, 816-452- 8419) D
Published in Kansas City Star on July 20, 2010
∼Staff Sgt. Shaun M. Mittler, 32, of Austin, Texas, died July 10 in Konar, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fires. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.