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DEL.ICIO.USJerry Lewis Ganey: Soldier completed his family
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Folkston � Debbie Cisco remembers her wedding in 1978, when her new stepson, Louie, inaugurated the family.
As the ring bearer, he was supposed to hand over the bride’s wedding band and engagement ring. But he kept the band. After the ceremony, as bride, groom, stepson and stepdaughter headed home, 3-year-old Louie held up his thumb with the ring on it.
“We’re married now, aren’t we?” he announced happily.
The memory tugged at Cisco on Friday as she mourned Spc. Jerry Lewis Ganey, 29, a soldier with the 48th Brigade Combat Team killed Wednesday in a car bomb attack in Iraq.
He is one of 11 Georgia soldiers who died there in an 11-day period that began July 24.
“We were complete, you know? As a family,” Cisco said.
Ganey, a former Marine, was working as a diesel mechanic in Jacksonville before he was mobilized in January for duty in Iraq.
In December he had secretly married his sweetheart of 3¸ years, also named Debbie.
Both were starting out again after divorces, and each had a child to bring to the family. Ganey became stepfather to Jay Michael, 14, with whom he rough-housed for hours and went four-wheeling. Debra became stepmom to Vanessa Elizabeth, 6.
On Thursday, when military officials came to the door to tell her of her husband’s death, Debbie Ganey said she begged her son to keep them away. She hadn’t gotten her daily call from her husband, and she knew something was wrong.
Then she had a seizure, a result of Crohn’s disease, a debilitating intestinal ailment that has put her in the hospital several times for surgery and requires her to take daily medication.
It was her illness that had prompted the couple to make the relationship official before he went to Iraq. She is not able to work because of the disease, and he wanted her to be taken care of financially if anything happened to him.
But they only went to the courthouse in nearby Alma, her hometown. They were delaying a church wedding � and breaking the news to family and friends � until his return, in part to give the children a chance to get used to the idea.
At her home, Cisco pulled out a file folder bulging with newspaper clippings, sports photos and ribbons from Ganey’s days as a defensive end on the Hilliard High School football team just across state line in Florida, where he had lived with his father for several years. “Hard to believe this is a life, isn’t it?” she mused.
The last time she saw him, she said, they met by chance at a gas station as he headed to Brunswick for training. They chatted a little, then she stood on tiptoes on the curb where the pumps were so she could kiss him goodbye.
“I’ve always been short,” she said. “We used to laugh about that.”
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By NANCY
August 6, 2005 12:15 AM | Link to this
When I heard that more casualties for the 48th Brigade had occured and I there was no communication comming out of Bagdad. My heart stopped and I prayed,not just for my son to be safe but for this war to be over and all of our soldiers come home. Enough of the LOST OF LIVES-I support my son,but enough is enough.. My thought and prayers are with the families of the “AMERICAN HEROES”-Lets join together as one and Support the families of our HEROES.God bless each of the families and give them strength.Thank you,and God Bless Our Fallen Heroes!!!
By sherri
August 7, 2005 01:34 AM | Link to this
God Bless All of you and I pray that God will give you peace.Your children will help you remember all the wonderful times you shared, cherish those memories and keep them alive.
God be with you and your family!!!!!!!!!!
By Angie
August 7, 2005 08:28 PM | Link to this
He will be missed! He was a great man. Class mate
By Sgt Allen F Gaskill
August 8, 2005 12:30 PM | Link to this
I knew Ganey for only a short time ,me being a former Marine myself , I find it intriguing to chat with all the former “DEVIL DOGS” of the 48th.
We shared cots next to one another one night while in Camp Striker, just before my unit broke off and went on its mission in FOB JOE,, we Laughed, we lied, and in the dark hours of the next morning we went our own way … GO EASY BROTHER….SEMPER FI…..
By Vicky
August 13, 2005 12:21 AM | Link to this
I live near Louie & Debra and was stunned to hear of his death. He was such a nice person and was looked up to by my son. My heart goes out to Debra and his family. I cannot begin to understand her grief and pain. It is such a tragic loss.