Army Sgt. Corey E. Spates

Died February 10, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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21, of LaGrange, Ga.; assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 10 in Diyala, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

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Soldier from LaGrange, Ga., killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

LAGRANGE, Ga. — Family members say an Army sergeant from LaGrange has been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, a week after his first wedding anniversary.

Relatives told the LaGrange Daily News that 21-year-old Sergeant Corey Spates, 21, died Feb. 10 in the Diyala province.

His wife and parents were notified by the Army that evening.

The family said they were told there were multiple casualties in the blast, but that the Army would not release details until the next of kin of all victims had been notified.

Spates, who attended Troup High School, had left for his second deployment in November. He and his wife celebrated their first anniversary last week.

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Residents mourn LaGrange soldier who was killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

LAGRANGE, Ga. — Residents are mourning the death of an Army sergeant from LaGrange who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Mourners on Feb. 23 filled Faith Baptist Church to remember 21-year-old Sgt. Corey Spates.

Spates was killed Feb. 10 in Diyala province.

Hundreds of people lined the 10-mile route from the church to Meadoway Gardens to remember him.

Rev. Greg Brown of Western Heights Baptist Church said Spates was a mature young man who would want to be remembered as an ordinary guy.

Brown says family and church members previously gathered 168 boxes of school supplies that Spates requested and distributed to Iraqi children.

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Sergeant collected school supplies for Iraq children

The Associated Press

After watching Corey E. Spates through his first tour in Iraq, Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Lowe sponsored him to become a sergeant.

When he went in for the test he had to answer 35 questions. “He only missed one. I was so proud of him,” Lowe said. “Ever since he put his sergeant stripes on, he’s been excellent.”

Spates, 21, of LaGrange, Ga., was killed Feb. 10 in Diyala province, Iraq, when his vehicle hit an explosive. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.

Within months of his arrival in Iraq, Spates asked his mother for help.

“Everywhere his platoon went, they saw children who had nothing. They had no soccer balls, no school supplies, nothing to occupy them,” said his mother, Joy Thomas. “Originally he wanted me to collect soccer balls for the children, then after he thought about it, he decided he wanted school supplies for the Iraqi children.”

During a 30-day leave, Spates ate dinner at Pizza Villa and met a brown-haired waitress that captivated his heart. Celeste would become his wife.

Spates was such an avid Georgia Bulldog fan that his family requested everyone wear black and red for his funeral.