Sgt. Brandon A. Parr is laid to rest

Intermountain Catholic

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The casket bearing the body of Army Sgt. Brandon Allen Parr, 26, of West Valley City, killed in Iraq March 3, is carried down the steps of the Cathedral of the Madeleine by a military honor guard after his funeral March 19. His wife, Shannah, and his son, Nicholas, follow the casket. IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Army Sgt. Brandon Allen Parr was buried from the Cathedral of the Madeleine March 19, 2007. A gunner in 630 MP (military police) Company, Parr and two other soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) during his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Born June 1, 1981, in Bakersfield, Calif., Sgt. Parr and his family were members of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Kearns. Father Joseph M. Mayo, rector of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, celebrated the funeral Mass in the presence of Bishop John C. Wester.

Having been promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the field, Parr never heard his promotion orders read, so they were read aloud at the conclusion of the Mass. Sgt. Parr was also awarded posthumously the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and a Combat Action Badge, which were accepted by Shannah, his mother, Teota Dangel, and his father. He is also survived by his grandmother, Shirley Coppock.

Fr. Mayo, in his homily, noted Parr's remarkable sense of humor. "He has been a treasure in our lives," Fr. Mayo said. "Death is not the end, but a doorway to a better life." Fr. Mayo encouraged Parr's family and friends to talk with God, "who know what grief is." Parr was commended by his Army colleagues for entering the Army in 1003, after 9/11, knowing the nation was at war. His first tour of duty began in 2004 and lasted 12 months. He re-enlisted, rejoining the military police company with which he had served previously.

Bishop Wester called Parr "a man wo loved his country, and his family and who didn't shrink from the ultimate sacrifice." He urged Parr's family to discern God's presence in Brandon's life. Quoting Pierre de Chardín, the bishop said, "?Joy is the infallible presence of God in our lives,' and Brandon had that joy."