R.I.P. IS1 Sean L. Caughman

Navy Information Systems Technician 1st Class Sean L. Caughman
Died February 16, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

43, of Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 22; died Feb. 16 while supporting operations in Ali al Salem, Kuwait.

(The following was published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram of Feb. 25,2010) Sean L. Caughman, 43, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010.

Service: 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26, in Greenwood Chapel. Interment: 2 p.m. in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Greenwood Funeral Home.

Sean was born Oct. 19, 1966, in Fort Worth. He passed away while on his second tour of duty as a Navy Reservist in Kuwait supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sean, a 1983 graduate of Western Hills High School, also graduated from Tarrant County Junior College with an associate of arts degree in 1992 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business from LeTourneau University in 2008. Sean became a proud Navy Reservist in 2000 rising to the rank of petty officer first class. He was deployed twice with the Seabees in naval mobile Construction Battalion 22, the first of these was in 2005. He earned the Seabee combat warfare specialist designator in February 2006 and attained status as a Navy career counselor in June 2007.

His awards included the Navy Achievement Medal, the National Defense Medal, both the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service medals, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal (2) and the Expert Pistol Medal.

Sean had been a well-respected and much-loved member of several Star Trek and science-fiction organizations since the late 1980s. He became the glue that held every group he was involved in together. His lifelong love of "Star Trek," coupled with his visual similarity to one of the characters, led to many chances to dress up in his uniform to act in plays, visit, along with others, kids at children's hospitals in Dallas and Fort Worth and just have fun.

He loved movies and was part of the stunt crew during the filming of "The Protector," a 1999 film starring Lee Majors. Sean felt almost every situation in life could be summed up with a quote of movie dialogue.

His innate childlike wonderment, his love for everyone he met and his ready smile made him a pleasure to be around. Every child he met called him "Uncle Sean." His love of animals led to a slew of dogs and cats at his house.

Sean was preceded in death by his father, Sam Leach; mother, Truvenza Coleman Leach; and sister, Sandra Leach Burroughs.

Survivors: Longtime companion, Kelly Seaman; noted jazz musician and maternal uncle, Ornette Coleman; noted jazz drummer and cousin, Denardo Coleman, wife, Cheri Coleman, and their son, Ali Coleman, and daughter, Keisha Smithwick; cousin, James Jordan and wife, Nancy Walker; a host of "brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews by choice"; and wonderful friends and comrades-in-arms too numerous to mention.