Some of you may know Chris Hotchkin, who has been a stalwart with the Democratic Party of DuPage County since before I came around (and that's saying something).  She and I have worked together on various projects over the years and I've come to really admire her generosity and steadiness.

So it was jarring to hear the news over the weekend that her son had been killed in action last week in Afghanistan.

In the note below from Chris and Randy, you'll read about their plans for a visitation on Thursday and memorial service on Friday.  Deepest condolences to the Hotchkin family.

Update, 6/24: Here are details of the visitation and service.  Please note: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "Gunnar Hotchkin Memorial Fund", c/o Harris Bank of Hinsdale (IL), 50 S. Lincoln Street, 60521, which will directly support the children.

An Air Force carry team carries a transfer case containing the remains of Army Pfc. Gunnar R. Hotchkin as transfer cases containing the remains of Army Spc. Joseph D. Johnson, left, and Army Cpt. Michael P. Cassidy, second from left, sit on a loader Friday, June 18, 2010 at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Hotchkin, of Naperville, Ill. , and Johnson, of Flint, Mich. , died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Cassidy, of Simpsonville, N.C. died while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

---

A Message from the Hotchkin Family

My Dear Friends,

If you have tried to contact me, and I have not responded, it is because we have been kept very busy.  We thank you so much for the offers of help. 

On Friday I traveled with my daughter-in-law Erin, in the company of an army colonel, to Dover Air Force Base.  We watched the dignified transfer of our son Gunnar home from Afghanistan in a flag draped box.  This was by many degrees the hardest thing I have ever done, or ever will do.  I want to tell you about Gunnar now, because he is a true American hero, and I want everyone to know about him and others like him, and to know the terrible sacrifice these soldiers and marines and families like ours are making in a war that no one pays much attention to, and that we must end as soon as we can.  Gunnar's mission in Afghanistan was route clearance.  This means he rode in heavily armored vehicles at the head of convoys of other troops, looking for IED's and then disarming them.  They had found many, and for each one found, it is likely that lives were saved.  On Wednesday, June 16, on a dangerous mission to an area with many insurgents, a roadside IED found him and flipped his vehicle, killing him and one other soldier in his unit.   This is all we know right now.  

Gunnar's family has been wrapped in the arms of the U.S. Army, both figuratively and literally.  They are taking very good care of us.  We must wait for direction from the army before we can be 100% definite, but we are planning to have a visitation at Gibbons-Elliston Funeral Home in Hinsdale on Thursday, June 24, probably starting at 2:00.  We are planning a memorial service to be held at Union Church in Hinsdale at 10:00 Friday morning, followed by a military burial, we hope at Lincoln National Cemetery in Joliet.   We will have a reception at the Community House in Hinsdale Friday afternoon,  starting about 2:00 and we invite everyone to attend whether you were able to attend the service or not, and we will invite you to stay as long as you wish, to remember and celebrate this fun-loving man.  Since this is an event organized by the Hotchkin family, drinks will definitely be involved.

If you are interested, I invite you to go to Gunnar Hotchkin's Facebook page.  I think his wife Erin is going to open it up to friends of friends.   Erin will also accept all friend requests for Gunnar. There you will see numerous postings by his fellow soldiers who testify to the fine, strong man our son ultimately became.  Our pain is indescribable, just as our pride is immeasurable.  He belongs to all of us now and honor covers him like his flag. 

We are going through this as best we can, moment by moment.  As I write this I am watching over my grandson Ethan sleeping on my couch.  He will get me through this.   We need and welcome your love and support-email messages or cards will do just fine, and we welcome you who are able to pay tribute to our fallen hero with us on Thursday and/or Friday.

Chris & Randy Hotchkin