The following story, written by Ben McNeely of the Kannapolis-based Independent Tribune describes the service and many of the related stories for the funeral of Jamie McClamrock, son of ARP Pastor Mark McClamrock in Concord, NC. Details of the incident in Iraq are available at http://bit.ly/ahKcuK

When Mark and Susan stepped on board a plane in Charlotte on their way to retrieve their son, James, a flight attendant directed them to first-class seats.

Before they boarded, the flight attendant explained the situation – this family was on their way to get their son’s body — to passengers in first class and asked if someone would give up their seats. “We only need four seats,” the flight attendant said.

Whole rows cleared in first class. The McClamrock’s original seats were far back in coach.

The flight attendant brought over three cupcakes – with light blue icing on it.

“I don’t even know if she knew that our faith was that strong,” Susan said, “but she came over and said, ‘I just want to give you these three cupcakes because this light blue celebrates James’ eternal life.”

Another flight attendant gave Mark and Susan her contact information and offered her apartment to stay at if they needed it while on the trip to retrieve James’ body.

McClamrock, 22, was killed while serving in Iraq on Sept 7. While resting at an Iraqi army base in between security missions, a man dressed as an Iraqi soldier opened fire on James’ unit. Two soldiers were killed, nine others wounded. James was one of two killed after major combat operations were declared over on Aug. 31.

The McClamrocks, who moved to Concord in 2008, live in the house behind Concord A.R.P. Church, where Mark is pastor. Mark grew up in Concord, the son of Fleet McClamrock, a longtime Concord police officer.

When word came last week that James had been killed while serving in Iraq, one of the McClamrocks’ neighbors gave up their house and went to stay with friends so Mark and Susan could use it to house extended family.

People brought by food by the pound, enough to feed an army, Susan said. A lady brought over chicken nuggets to the family and refused to give her name, Susan said.

On Thursday night, the family spent four hours at Hartsell Funeral Home for the visitation. People stood in line to pay their respects. On Friday morning, while they were trying to get ready for the funeral service that afternoon, E.Z. Smith, Concord High School’s legendary former football coach, stopped by the church to hug Mark and Susan and offer his personal condolences.

And then there was the procession.

Hundreds of people crowded the roadside last Wednesday to pay respects to James and his family, as he came home for the final time. Escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders and local law enforcement, the nearly-mile-long motorcade moved slowly north on Interstate 85 from Wilson Air Field to Concord.

On every overpass through Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties, firefighters, police officers and bystanders stood, saluting as the motorcade drove by.

On Union Street, all activity stopped. The McClamrocks, riding in a van from Bethel United Methodist Church in Midland, driven by the pastor, disembarked and stood in a huddle in the middle of the street. Mayor Scott Padgett and the Concord City Council presented the family with keys to the city.

For all this and more, the McClamrocks expressed gratitude.

“I can’t tell you the comfort that we’ve received from the community,” Mark said at his son’s funeral Friday. “Every time I say ‘thank you,’ someone replies, ‘You don’t need to thank us – your son’s sacrifice is enough.’ ”

Susan said it more succinctly: Thank you, Concord.

Time to be born, a time to die

The sanctuary of Forest Hill United Methodist Church was full of mourners Friday to remember the life of James McClamrock. (The ARP sanctuary could not handle the expected crowds.)

Mark McClamrock eulogized his son, saying James lived his life knowing full well the biblical mantra – “There is a time to be born and a time to die.” – and what that meant.

“We all want to be loved – to know that we have a purpose,” the elder McClamrock said. “James found that. He told us when he signed up for the military, ‘I could die right here.’ He chose to serve his country.”

Mark recently preached a sermon about that verse, from Ecclesiastes: “To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven …”

In that sermon, Mark said each of us keeps those two appointments – birth and death. What matters is what you do with the time between the two, he said.

“I’m sure he didn’t know that day that he was going to meet his maker, but he was ready to meet his maker,” Susan said.

James’ best friend, Matt Murdock, recalled James’ humor and compassion for others – “the fun guy who wanted to make people laugh.”

Murdock met James when the McClamrocks moved to Troutman in 2001. Matt and James met in eighth grade, and Matt said he knew then James was someone special. They remained close friends, as Matt said he was felt called into the ministry.

When James told Matt he felt called to join the army, Matt said he was worried at first – “I had knots in my stomach.”

“But then he told me that he knew it was a calling from God, and I can’t discount a calling from God, especially since I’m in the ministry,” Matt said, drawing a laugh from the crowd.

Matt also talked about Shannah McClamrock and how she brought so much joy into James’ life. Shannah and James married in 2008, after meeting a year before. James’ father married the couple.

While faith and service was important to James, his father said James wanted so much to have children and start a family with Shannah.

“He was so jealous about Shannah,” Mark said, adding James wouldn’t show his army buddies his picture of Shannah. James didn’t want other men thinking about her, Mark said.

Now, at age 23, Shannah is a war widow.

Inside the church, members of the Transportation Safety Administration, clad in their blue uniforms, took up five rows. They all worked with James, when he worked at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.

Outside, the Patriot Guard Riders – about 70 in all – lined the sidewalks leading to the church, standing with American flags in silent tribute.

After the funeral, the motorcade headed to Carolina Memorial Park in Kannapolis, where James was buried. Under the setting sun, an army honor guard rendered the final military rites – a 21-gun salute and a bugler playing taps.

What lies ahead

Once the military pomp dies down, the McClamrocks will be left with a quiet pain with which to deal.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is hard enough, but when they are taken in such a violent way, it adds a new dimension to the suffering.

McClamrock was supposed to be back from Iraq in January. But while on a mission at the Iraqi army base in town of Tuz Khurmato, north of Baghdad, a man wearing an Iraqi uniform fired into the U.S. soldiers from 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, who were getting ready to go on patrol.

“James was basically betrayed in his death, by someone who was supposed to protect him,” Susan said. “He was murdered.”

Mark admitted at the funeral that he was angry when he went to Dover Air Force Base. But he said God told him, “Mark, I’m a father too.”

“God doesn’t ask of you anything that he hasn’t already been through,” Mark said.

In the coming weeks, the McClamrock family will face private challenges, but Mark and Susan said they are comforted by their belief in God’s will for their lives.

A week before James died, he wrote on his Facebook page, “In the end, I thank God.”

Susan usually kept up with her son on Facebook and commented on his posts. But that day, she didn’t.

“I usually always say, ‘What do you mean by that Jamie?’” Susan said. “I never said, ‘Why did you put that?’ What was he thinking about that day? We’ll never know, but it is a source of comfort for us that he would write something so simple.”

The McClamrocks said they know there is a time for everything.

A time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

This story first appeared in the Independent-Tribune, Kannapolis, NC online version and is reprinted with their permission (and with our thanks!).