Ledger photos by TIM GULLA Marines, above, carry Lance Cpl. Christopher Fowlkes into the church for his funeral Friday. Below, Granard Middle School sixth grader Melvin Ponder shows his support for the Fowlkes family. More than a dozen U.S. Marines lined up after the Friday afternoon funeral of Lance Cpl. Christopher Fowlkes for the opportunity to offer their condolences and pay tribute to Fowlkes' parents.

Fowlkes' father, Steve Fowlkes, used the opportunity to offer some comfort of his own and pay tribute to his son's extended family.

"Semper Fi, Marine," Steve Fowlkes said to each of the young Marines who approached him. He shook each of their hands and gave each a heartfelt hug.

"Thank you," he told each one of them, "for your service."

The gracious act by a grieving father was just one of many touching moments in a day when thousands of Gaffney and Cherokee County residents turned out to give thanks, not only to a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice but also to a family who shared so freely.

The motorcade carrying Chris Fowlkes from First Baptist Church to Frederick Memorial Gardens passed hundreds and hundreds of people lining West Floyd Baker Boulevard and Highway 11, many holding United States flags or handmade signs. At least 530 people packed First Baptist Church for the service and hundreds more were waiting at the graveside for the motorcade to arrive.

At the church, flower arrangements of red, white and blue stretched from wall to wall and attendees saw an emotional slide show that documented Chris Fowlkes' growth from infancy to a young Marine representing the United States in tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A sense of pride was evident, no matter which of Fowlkes many uniforms were depicted, from Fowlkes in his Little League uniform and Gaffney Indians' jersey to his U.S. Marine Corps Dress Blues or camouflage.

"No one wore that Gaffney High School uniform like Chris did," remembered Camron Snuggs, a lifelong friend and neighbor of Chris Fowlkes and also a fellow U.S. Marine.

Snuggs, wearing his Dress Blues, spoke at his friend's funeral of shared childhood memories, good times, and a relationship that truly was brotherhood.

Ledger photo by RODGER PAINTER Hundreds, if not thousands, of residents lined Baker Boulevard Friday afternoon for the funeral procession of Lance Cpl. Christopher Fowlkes. When Snuggs was headed off to boot camp, he remembered, Fowlkes, who had just gotten home from a tour of duty in Iraq, drove six hours back home to Gaffney to see him off.

"His heart was just huge," Snuggs said. "He was my brother."

Fowlkes was severely injured Sept. 3 when an improvised explosive device went off in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. Two servicemen, another U.S. Marine and a U.S. Navy corpsman, were killed at the scene while Fowlkes and two others were transported for treatment. Fowlkes died from his injuries Sept. 10 at a U.S. medical facility in Landstuhl, Germany. His parents were at his side.

Fowlkes is the first serviceman from Cherokee County to die in wartime since the Vietnam War. Cherokee County Veteran Affairs Officer Todd Humphries searched the National Archives to discover the last wartime death of a local resident occurred Dec. 1, 1970, when Private First Class Robert Lawrence Blackwell, born Dec. 12, 1950, was killed in hostile action in South Vietnam.

Those who came out to say their goodbyes for Fowlkes came from every corner of the county and from all walks of life.

A group of sixth graders from Granard Middle School came to the graveside with handmade signs to honor someone from their school. None knew Chris Fowlkes personally, unlike their teacher Debra Jones Williamson, but each knew it was important to come.

Fowlkes' death not only struck close to home, but Fowlkes was part of the Granard Middle School family, Williamson said. Like many of his former teachers, Fowlkes kept in touch with Williamson and even came back to tell her when he had made the decision to join the Marine Corps.

Congressman John Spratt attended the service to offer thanks to the Fowlkes family on behalf of a grateful country.

"The truth of the matter is we can never repay what he has done for us," the congressman said during the graveside ceremony. "But we can at least adopt the attitude that we can make our lives and our country worthy of the kind of sacrifices he (Christopher Fowlkes) has rendered."

At the funeral service, Rev. David Kite of Cooley Springs Baptist Church was called upon to offer words of comfort.

"We are never more like Jesus than when we are giving," he would tell those in attendance. And while Kite said he could offer many superlatives about the young Marine, he said, "The one thing that stood out, Chris was a giver.

"He gave laughter in situations that were really difficult to find humor," Kite said. "He gave courage to those around him. He demonstrated it numerous times. He gave inspiration. He showed leadership. He gave friendship to those who needed a friend. And ultimately, Christopher Scott Fowlkes gave his life."

"I don't know about you," Kite said, "but that just sounds like Jesus."

In addition to full military honors provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, the services were attended by a large contingent of Patriot Guard Riders, who provided a motorcycle escort. The thunder from their exhausts could be heard long before the motorcade approached. Randy "Steam" Stevens has participated in more than 100 "missions" with the Patriot Guard already and he said the job is not getting any easier.

"It's always harder (to do this) when they're young," he said of the funeral escorts. "I guess it shouldn't make any difference, but it does (to me)."

Only two of the Patriot Guard riders actually knew Chris Fowlkes, but that didn't make any difference to the riders who came out, some from as far away as Charleston, with a threat of rain throughout the day.

"Nobody loves freedom like a biker," Stevens said. "It's just common sense that people who love freedom will stand up and thank a man for defending it."