U.S. Army Specialist Jeffrey Franklin Nichols,of Granite Shoals, killed in Baghdad, Iraq on May 1, was born Sept. 15, 1986 in El Centro, Calif.

He was a field artilleryman assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. He had enlisted in the Army in Sept. 2005 and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Okla. He was assigned to Fort Polk in Dec. 2005.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

He is survived by his wife, Kasey Nichols and his son Sonny of Ft. Polk, La. and Marble Falls; his mother Cathy Miears of Granite Shoals; his three sisters, Elizabeth Garcia and Kara Nichols, from Madera, Calif. and Rheadene Miears of Granite Shoals; his father Patrick Kearns of Whittier, Calif.; his grandfather, Harold Dedmon of Whittier; his mother-in-law, Dorothy Casella of Marble Falls; his father-in-law, Dennis Griggs of Kingsland; his three uncles, Skip Dedmon and Phil Dedmon, both of Seal Beach, Calif. and Gary Dedmon of Phelan, Calif.; his nephew, Andrew Garcia, and his niece, Channing Garcia, both of Calif.; other relatives and friends.

Funeral services with full military honors were held Saturday, May 10.

Brother Max Copeland, pastor emeritus of Marble Falls First Baptist Church presided over the funeral, which was under the direction of Celement-Wilcox Funeral Home in Marble Falls.

Interment followed at Lakeland Hills Memorial Park with a Fort Hood Honor Guard, Highland Lakes Honor Guard and Patriot Guard paying honors.

A Bible was presented on behalf of VFW Post 10376 by Post Commander Sam Odom, Quartermaster Joe Doze and Senior Vice Commander Bob Hansen.