Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Stevenson

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Stevenson, 20, of Newton, N.J.

LCpl. Stevenson was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif; died July 13, 2008 in Anbar, Iraq, from a non-hostile accident.

The Star-Ledger -- As he prepared to bury his best friend and brother, Senior Airman Robert L. Stevenson said today the investigation was continuing into the non-combat-related death of Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Stevenson.

Jeffery Stevenson, 20, a Marine from Stillwater, Sussex County, died Sunday in Iraq.

Robert Stevenson, 23, back home from Fort Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo., said military officials had no new information today on the death of the little brother he described as "really mature for his age."

Meanwhile, funeral arrangements were finalized by Smith-McCracken Funeral Home of Newton. The funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 54 High St., Newton, with interment to follow in Stillwater Cemetery.

Visiting is scheduled for 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, 63 High St., Newton. Memorial donations may be made to Wounded Warriors, 10730 Pacific St., Suite 10, Omaha, Neb. 68114.

Born in Stroudsburg, in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, Jeffery Stevenson spent his early childhood in Marshalls Creek, Pa. He graduated in 2006 from Kittatinny Regional High School and joined the Marines six months later.

He was a machinist with the 7th Engineers Support Battalion, 1st Marine Division, stationed in Camp Pendleton in San Diego.

"He was a loving, respectful son and a happy, smiling kid," his obituary read. "LCpl Stevenson joined the Marines knowing full well what could happen, but he didn't let that stop him. When he wanted something, LCpl Stevenson did not let anything stand in his way."

In addition to his brother, he is survived by his mother and father, Karen and Joe Solarino of Stillwater; his sister-in-law, Brienne Stevenson, and his niece, Taylor Stevenson, also of Cheyenne; his maternal grandparents, Robert and Shirley Newton of Marshalls Creek; and many aunts, uncles and close cousins.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Stevenson died July 13, 2008 from a non-hostile accident.