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FAREWELL TO A SOLDIER
Mary Ventura of Paso Robles faced a somber crowd at St. Rose Catholic Church on Thursday as she read a letter to her brother, Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lopez, who died in a bar fight Jan. 5 in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
"As you told me, we are two of the same," she read aloud. "You will always be a part of me."
Lopez, 37, was born in San Luis Obispo. He grew up in Arroyo Grande and attended Arroyo Grande High School.
He joined the U. S ARMY...
Published on 2009-01-16, Page B1, Tribune, The (San Luis Obispo, CA)
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RICHARD LOPEZ U.S. ARMY
Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lopez, 37, passed away Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, in Denver, Colo.
Richard was born in San Luis Obispo in November 1971 and grew up in Arroyo Grande. He attended Arroyo Grande schools including Arroyo Grande High School.
SFC Lopez was a Communications Sergeant assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He joined the U. S. Army as an Infantryman in 1994. He served as a scout/sniper.
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Sgt 1st Class Lopez was assigned to the Operational Detachment-Alpha 784, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant. Richard attended Arroyo Grande High School in Arroyo Grande, California. In 1993, he decided to join the Army as an infantryman and served at duty stations both stateside and overseas. He served as a scout-sniper until he was selected to become an Army Recruiter in 2000 then he began his quest to become a Special Forces Soldier in 2004 by attending the Special Forces Communications Sergeant Course. This highly decorated soldier had been awarded the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart for when he was shot in the abdomen in Afghanistan, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Good Conduct Medal with three bronze knots, the National Defense Service Medal with service star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with "3" numeral, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Royal Netherlands Army Freefall Badge and the Gold Recruiter Badge. On January 2, while on vacation with his son and two military friends, Richard and his two friends were at a bar in Steamboat Springs. His family was told that Richard had put on the Jimmy Buffett song, "Margaritaville" and a disagreement erupted between the soldiers and two other individuals over the song. A fight ensued after the men left the bar and by the time officers arrived on the scene, Richard was on the ground and his two friends were injured. On January 5, in a hospital in Denver, Richard died of severe head and brain trauma.
Mary Ventura of Paso Robles faced a somber crowd at St. Rose Catholic Church on Thursday as she read a letter to her brother, Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lopez, who died in a bar fight Jan. 5 in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
"As you told me, we are two of the same," she read aloud. "You will always be a part of me."
Lopez, 37, was born in San Luis Obispo. He grew up in Arroyo Grande and attended Arroyo Grande High School.
He joined the U. S ARMY...
Published on 2009-01-16, Page B1, Tribune, The (San Luis Obispo, CA)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RICHARD LOPEZ U.S. ARMY
Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lopez, 37, passed away Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, in Denver, Colo.
Richard was born in San Luis Obispo in November 1971 and grew up in Arroyo Grande. He attended Arroyo Grande schools including Arroyo Grande High School.
SFC Lopez was a Communications Sergeant assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He joined the U. S. Army as an Infantryman in 1994. He served as a scout/sniper.
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Sgt 1st Class Lopez was assigned to the Operational Detachment-Alpha 784, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant. Richard attended Arroyo Grande High School in Arroyo Grande, California. In 1993, he decided to join the Army as an infantryman and served at duty stations both stateside and overseas. He served as a scout-sniper until he was selected to become an Army Recruiter in 2000 then he began his quest to become a Special Forces Soldier in 2004 by attending the Special Forces Communications Sergeant Course. This highly decorated soldier had been awarded the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart for when he was shot in the abdomen in Afghanistan, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Good Conduct Medal with three bronze knots, the National Defense Service Medal with service star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with "3" numeral, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Royal Netherlands Army Freefall Badge and the Gold Recruiter Badge. On January 2, while on vacation with his son and two military friends, Richard and his two friends were at a bar in Steamboat Springs. His family was told that Richard had put on the Jimmy Buffett song, "Margaritaville" and a disagreement erupted between the soldiers and two other individuals over the song. A fight ensued after the men left the bar and by the time officers arrived on the scene, Richard was on the ground and his two friends were injured. On January 5, in a hospital in Denver, Richard died of severe head and brain trauma.
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