Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Dearmon

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Dearmon, 21, of Crossville, Tenn.

LCpl. Dearmon was assigned to 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 3, 2009 in Taqaddum, Iraq, as a result of a non-hostile incident.

Photographer was promoted last year
The Associated Press

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — The military says a Marine from East Tennessee has died in a non-hostile incident in Iraq.

The Department of Defense said Wednesday that 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Dearmon of Crossville died April 3 in Anbar province. The military says the incident is under investigation.

He was assigned to 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and was trained as a combat photographer.

Dearmon joined the Marine Corps in August 2007 and joined his current unit in April 2008. He was promoted to lance corporal Oct. 1.

His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

Happiness was important to Dearmon
The Associated Press

Stephen F. Dearmon was known as a true gentleman wherever he was.

“He would open doors for people. If he was at the store he would help elderly people put groceries in their cars. For Stephen that’s how life was supposed to be. He loved people, he loved life, but he hated the evil in the world,” the Rev. David Hayes said.

Dearmon, 21, of Crossville, Tenn., died April 3 after a noncombat incident in Anbar province. He was a combat photographer and was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

Dearmon joined the Marines in August 2007 and was promoted to the rank of lance corporal Oct. 1.

“He was such a loving, caring, goodhearted boy who would give anyone the shirt off his back. You couldn’t ask for a better son. He hung out with his mom like we were best friends. He wasn’t ashamed to go shopping with me or be seen with me anywhere,” said his mother, Robin Hartke.

He also is survived by his stepfather, Steven Hartke, and his father, William Dearmon.

“Stephen didn’t like to see anyone sad. If you were sad, he would have you laughing by the end of the time you were talking with him. He wanted everyone to be happy,” Hayes said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Dearmon died in a non-combat related incident on 4/3/09.