Cpl. Jamie R. Lowe

Cpl. Jamie R. Lowe, 21, of Johnsonville, Ill.. died Jan. 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan: Ingham was assigned to 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

(The following was taken from The Len Wells Column of www.courierpress.com of Jan. 17,2010)

This past week, Wayne County, Ill., lost its first service member to the war in Afghanistan. Marine Cpl. Jamie R. Lowe, 21, the son of Kevin and Teresa Lowe of Johnsonville, died Monday in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. I cannot imagine the grief and the overwhelming sense of loss the Lowe family is experiencing right now. As a newsman, trying to cover the story without intruding on the family's privacy is a very difficult task, especially when you take into consideration an entire community that desperately wants to show the Lowe family how much they appreciate his sacrifice and share in their sadness. In Cisne, where Cpl. Lowe graduated from high school in 2007, the local flower shop has been handing out free red, white and blue bows to be displayed throughout the community. The sign in front of the high school now bears a message of thanks for Cpl. Lowe's ultimate sacrifice. Members of the Cisne Bullets basketball team have added black bands to their uniforms. The cheerleaders are wearing black ribbons. Today's seniors at Cisne High School were freshmen when Jamie Lowe graduated. Flags throughout the county, at every governmental office, business and school, have been lowered to half-staff. I can tell you that phone calls were placed to businesses that may not have gotten the word about Cpl. Lowe's death.