Marine Lance Cpl. Branden P. Ramey

Died November 8, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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22, of Boone, Ill.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve, Chicago; killed Nov. 8 by enemy action in Babil province, Iraq.

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Marine with Central Valley ties killed near Fallujah

Associated Press

BELVIDERE, Ill. — Lance Cpl. Branden Ramey talked about wedding plans, not war, the last time he called home from Iraq, his fiancee said.

Last week, the 22-year-old reservist proposed to his longtime girlfriend Stacey Lee from half a world away, then looked ahead to the postwar days when he would teach history while she ran her own beauty shop, Lee said.

Less than a week later, Ramey was killed near Fallujah, one of 11 U.S. service members who died Monday as troops pushed to retake the insurgent stronghold.

“For the rest of my life, he’s going to be in my heart day in and day out,” said Lee, who grew up with Ramey in Belvidere, Ill., a town of 16,000 people east of Rockford.

Branden grew up with his mother in Illinois, but spent his summers in Madera, Calif., where his father, Randy Ramey, lives.

Ramey joined the reserves after graduating in 2001 from Belvidere High School, where he played football, baseball, basketball and was named homecoming king, according to his 18-year-old fiance. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines G Company, based in Madison, Wis.

“He just thought he wanted to do something for his country. If I could only tell you how much he believed in what he was doing,” Lee said.

Mike Hearn, Ramey’s high school football coach, said the reservist was “very likable with a nice sense of humor,” but also was the first to step up when he thought a friend or teammate was being picked on.

“He definitely didn’t just stay on the sidelines. I’m sure he figured he had buddies over there and they needed his help,” Hearn said.