Triad Marine is at rest
 

By Bob Burchette
Staff Writer

HIGH POINT -- Cpl. Felipe Barbosa's words — written some months ago — rang across Green Street Baptist Church as nearly 1,000 people gathered Monday to memorialize the 21-year-old Marine killed in a Jan. 28 motor vehicle accident in Iraq.

Barbosa, known for his strong evangelical stance as a Christian, had written, "It's hard to share Jesus here. ... I'm walking down the streets of Falluja with the insurgents always waiting for a reason to kill us and turn people against us. But Jesus is my priority in life. So as best I can, I show people love, and some of them are surprised."

Such was the tone of Monday's memorial service, from the time the family entered the church to the sound of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless America" until Barbosa's burial at Floral Garden Park Cemetery.

There, two Marines knelt and placed tri-folded flags in the arms of his 19-year-old widow, Christina, of High Point, and his mother, Iraci Dunbar, of Greensboro.

The Marine Corps provided full military honors for the burial, including a rifle salute and the melancholy sound of taps across the cemetery. Hundreds of mourners braved a chilly, cloudy afternoon to accompany the family to the cemetery.

Born in Brazil, Barbosa had gained American citizenship about a year ago and planned on becoming a Christian missionary when his military tour was completed.

"Felipe was a follower of Christ with great distinction," said the Rev. Marcus Campbell, Barbosa's pastor at Conrad Memorial Baptist Church. He said Barbosa's life should be celebrated as that of an outstanding friend to many, a Marine, a loving family man and a dedicated Christian.

Campbell said that while death is tragic, Barbosa had gained a victory, "because he knew Christ. We loved him because we saw the personality of Christ in him."

There also was a tribute from his uncle, Dean Charlton, who said Barbosa "adopted me as his father. He loved all human beings; and he never wanted to hurt anybody."

Even as a youngster, Charlton said, Barbosa had an extraordinary Christian attitude.

"He has been an inspiration to me. It is burned in my mind: The last time I walked with him, he said, 'Don't worry about me. I'm walking with Jesus.' "

Tributes also came from his brother, Andre Barbosa, 16; his aunt and uncle, Brittany and Neno Miric; his former youth pastor, the Rev. Dave Pryor, and several of Barbosa's friends.

Barbosa had joined the Marines on Dec. 31, 2002, and was expected to be reunited with his bride of 18 months in April. He died when the Humvee in which he was riding overturned.

Monday's funeral procession included more than 40 members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motorcyclist veterans with headquarters in Kansas who attend funerals not only to pay tribute to fallen veterans but also to prevent protesters from interfering with funerals.

No protesters showed up on Monday.

The audience, which included several members of the Triad's Brazilian community and some of Barbosa's relatives and friends from Brazil, reflected Barbosa's friendship with diverse people. Among the Brazilians were his father, Robson Barbosa, who left this country several years ago, and his grandmother, Cecilia Carvalho.

The service included a slide presentation of Barbosa's life -- from that of a little boy wearing a big Panama hat to his final months when he was married and spent time with other troops in Falluja.

Barbosa's letter, read aloud during remarks by the Rev. Robert Steele of Green Street Baptist Church, also included a closing plea the church to pray for one of his fellow Marines -- "a troubled young man whom I shared Jesus with."