Cody WANKEN

WANKEN, EVANS, PARKS, BROOKS, LEGAULT, HUNGATE, DAS, HOOVER, FICKLIN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/8/2008 at 20:53:50

LCPL Cody Wanken, 20, Marine who loved family

LCPL Cody Wanken, age 20, of San Diego, Calif., died Wednesday, April 2, 2008, at the Wounded Warriors Barricks at Camp Pendelton, Calif. Cody Wanken was born February 27, 1988, in Clarion, Iowa, to Rick and Sue Wanken. He graduated early from Hampton- Dumont High School in January 2006. He then joined the Marines, fullfilling a life long dream of becoming one of the “Few and the Proud” in May 2006. He was a proud member of the 3/5 Lima Co. 2nd Platoon. He had also gone to Alabama to do IED dog training this past year and became partners with his black lab, Seibert. He and Seibert had been serving in Iraq with the rest of the 3/5. He was injured in September of 2007 and flown to Bethesda Naval Hospital, after which he returned to Camp Pendelton. Due to injuries, he was attached to the Wounded Warriors Barracks on the base. His goal was to rejoin his “men” and finish the job. He was extremely close with his family. He and his father spent hours fishing and hunting, a passion they both had. He and his brothers and sister shared a close bond, and when home on leave, not far from each other. They had many nick names for each other. He and his mom spent hours talking. Cody was a rock for us all. To his two nephews, he is a hero; he always made time for them and included them in the famous garage parties. His passions in life included his friends (never far from his mind), football, baseball, camping, weight training and life in general. He was always a positive influence to all who met him and never afraid to do anything. He met life head on and put a lot of living into his short years. He was very fond of California and the Marine family he had.

Left to cherish his memory are his parents, Rick and Sue Wanken, Hampton; brothers, Andy and Zachary, Hampton; his sister Brittany, and fiancé Derik Evans, Hampton; his two very special nephews, Cadance Parks and Maddon Evans; Beverly Brooks “G” grandmother, Goldfield; aunts and uncles, Steven Brooks, Goldfield, Denise Brooks, Mason City, Toni (Serge) Legault, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, Francis/Judy Wanken, grandparents, Eagle Grove, Lori/Mike Hungate, Eagle Grove, Becky/Dipankar Das, California; cousins, Brandy/Breanna Hoover, Brandon Brooks, Derek/Christina Hungate, Amaya/Austin Das, Simone/Sophie Legault, and Jamarin Ficklin. He was preceded in death by George Brooks, grandfather

He will be missed by his special class of 2006 and countless friends who his life has touched. We don’t curse God knowing we’ll see you again, so rest easy my mighty warrior your pain is done

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., Thursday, April 10 (today), at the Hampton-Dumont High School Gymnasium, with Fr. Bernard Grady officiating the service. Burial was held in the Glenwood Cemetery in Goldfield, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for future disbursement. Sietsema Vogel Funeral Home of Hampton was in charge of the arrangements.

Eagle Grove Eagle, Iowa
9 April 2008