Hundreds pack memorial service for fallen soldier

By Jennifer Burns, KTVZ.COM

Bend's Eastmont Church was packed Saturday afternoon with friends and family of Army Sgt. Zachary McBride, as well as dignitaries joining in the emotional celebration of the fallen soldier's life.

McBride, 20, was the youngest of six soldiers killed in Iraq on Jan. 9 when a bomb exploded in a home the team was searching.

Three rooms at the church where Zack's father, Marshall, serves as pastor were filled with people who wanted to say goodbye to the hometown hero, a quiet young man whose supreme sacrifice spoke volumes to many who knew him, and many more who never did.

"Here's a man who hardly spoke and was silent most of his life," family spokesman Roger Austin said. "And today, he has never spoken louder."

Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., joined long-time friends and others who spoke of the soldier's uplifting values and how important he was to them.

The governor had ordered all flags at the state's public institutions flown at half-staff Saturday, in McBride's honor, and downtown streets were lined with fluttering flags, one newly stitched with the fallen soldier's name.

The church is much smaller than the Deschutes County Expo Center, where services for previous local soldiers killed in the war were held. But Austin said, "It was important to the McBrides to hold the service here," at the family's church. 

To accommodate the crowds, visitation hours were held Friday at the church, and an overflow crowd viewed Saturday's service on a large TV screen at Bend's National Guard Armory.

Before the service, Austin said he saw the family's "wrenching, overwhelming feeling for several days come to a somewhat understanding. This is the 10th day (since Zack's death). I feel today will be a celebration."

The McBride family has a strong belief in God and says their son did, too.

"They've had an eternal frame of reference," Austin said, "but now that belief has been put to the ultimate test."

The family is proud of their son's tremendous sacrifice and firmly believes they will see him son again.

"This family doesn't believe they lost Zack," Austin said. "They lost his physical being."

Zack's parents were handed three medals in their son's honor during the service.

In his eulogy, church Pastor John Lodwick said Zack "suprised his family by his determination to enlist" and go to war.

Friends and family say Zack was very intelligent and could have done anything he wanted to. He chose to serve our country.

McBride will be buried with full military honors on Sunday at Portland's Willamette National Cemetery.