R.I.P. Sgt. Ralph Mena

Army Sgt. Ralph Mena
Died May 04, 2010 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

27, of Hutchinson, Kan.; assigned to 72nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 7th Signal Brigade, 5th Signal Command, Mannheim, Germany; died May 4 of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident in Tikrit, Iraq.

(The following was taken from www.hutchnews.com of May 8, 2010) Sgt. Ralph Mena, Jr., 27, died May 3, 2010 in Iraq. He was born October 25, 1982 in Pratt, the son of Ralph and Melody Mena. He was a lifetime resident of Hutchinson. He had served in the United States Army for seven years.

He married Amber Harrison on February 14, 2010 in Deerfield, Florida. She survives. Other survivors include two stepdaughters, Lexi and Bridget Knopp, Hutchinson, two brothers, Willie Schmidt, Preston, KS and Philip Hernandez, Las Vegas, NV, two sisters, Jennifer Hall and Marie Mena, both of Hutchinson, his grandmother, Margaret Packebush, Hutchinson, and a niece, Rebecca Hill, Lyons.

He was preceded in death by both of his parents.

Private funeral services will be held at Westside Baptist Church. Burial will take place at Eastside Cemetery, Hutchinson. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ralph Mena Memorial Fund, for the family to designate at a later date. Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home, Hutchinson, is in charge of arrangements. To leave a message for the family, visit: www.PenwellGabelHutchinson.com.