Oklahoma Marine buried, funeral for another Oklahoman scheduled

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma Marine had matured from a boy into a young man before he died in Iraq, his cousin said. <br/><br/>Navy Lt. Cmdr. James Doling would know, having witnessed the transformation

Saturday, November 26th 2005, 12:59 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma Marine had matured from a boy into a young man before he died in Iraq, his cousin said.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. James Doling would know, having witnessed the transformation firsthand, he told family and friends gathered Friday to remember Jeffry Alan Rogers.

Doling said he and Rogers were stationed together in San Diego before Rogers was deployed to Iraq. He talked about watching Rogers grow from a spoiled child into a focused young man.

That growth and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, compelled Rogers, 21, to enlist in the military when he graduated from Putnam City North High School in 2002, despite his family's objections.

Rogers died Nov. 16 when he and three other Marines, including another Oklahoman, were killed in an ambush in Ubaydi, Iraq, in what turned out to be a deadly week for soldiers from the state. Cpl. Joshua Ware, of Apache, also was killed.

Rogers, who was buried at Chapel Hill with a 21-gun salute from a Marine honor guard, knew what he was risking when he joined the Marines after high school, loved ones were told.

In a Bible verse cited in the last letter Rogers sent from Iraq to his parents, Jim and Janet Rogers, in Yukon.

``No greater love have man than to lay down his life for his friend,'' Rogers wrote, quoting John 15:13.

Another Oklahoman who was killed in Iraq this month also will be laid to rest.

Residents of Inola lined the streets with American flags as the body of 24-year-old Travis Grigg was brought home by his family.

Funeral services for Grigg, who was killed Nov. 15 by a roadside bomb in Taji, Iraq, were held Saturday afternoon.

During Rogers' eulogy, the Rev. Monte Priest read from his letter, which hinted at Rogers' dedication to his family.

``I could never ask for a greater family,'' he wrote.