Community mourns death of Staff Sgt. Trevor Spink

FARMINGTON — As area residents continue to mourn the death of U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Trevor L. Spink Jr., U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has issued a press release saying that every Missouri citizen should take time to say a prayer for Staff Sergeant Spink and his family.

“My heart goes out to Staff Sergeant Spink’s family,” Emerson said. “I’m tremendously saddened by this great loss to them, to Farmington, to our state and to our nation. There is no measure to how sorry I am to learn this news, and how, at the same time, I am immensely proud of this brave young man from Farmington who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. His family and loved ones have our deepest sympathies.”

Spink was killed on Saturday in a Humvee accident, becoming St. Francois County’s first fatality of the Iraq conflict. The death of Spink is still under investigation but the U.S. Marine Corps has classified it as non-hostile.

From 1996 until 2000 Spink’s face served as the official face of the U.S. Marine Corps, appearing on recruiting promotional posters and literature across the country.

In the past two years Spink served three tours of duty in Iraq with his last beginning on June 16.

Visitation for Spink will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday at the C. Z. Boyer & Son Funeral Home in Desloge. Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the C. Z. Boyer & Son Funeral Home in Desloge. Burial will be held at the Odd Fellows Cemetery following the services. The family is asking that all messages and condolences be e-mailed to pamoder@msn.com.