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Couple Was Part Of Same Military Unit
As much of the world celebrates Saddam Hussein's capture, a Carlisle family is in mourning.
Staff Sgt. Kimberely Voelz, 27, met her husband max seven years ago in Army bootcamp. Voelz's father, Floyd Fahnestock, recalls it was a match made in heaven.
"They had a great marriage. They would be apart a week and it would be a honeymoon when they got back together," Fahnestock said.
The couple -- part of the same Army unit -- were deployed together to Iraq in September.
This June, the Voelz's would have been married four years. Instead, Kimberely Voelz died in her husband's arms Sunday night in Baghdad.
"I am so happy that he was with her," Fahnestock said, who took the life changing phone call from his son-in law.
"We got the news Sunday morning. We were in church at 9 o'clock Sunday morning. the whole family."
According to Fahnestock, his daughter was critically injured in Fallujah when she approached a bomb on a telephone pole and it exploded before she could defuse it.
Voelz was trained in explosives and knew she was in a dangerous situation.
Still, her father says she loved her job.
"She loved the service. She loved the bomb squad," he said.
Faunestock, a Vietnam veteran, understands as well as anyone the price of combat.
"When (I) close (my) eyes at night, it sets in; I toss and turn at night," he said.
He says he's not bitter and still believes in the United States' mission in Iraq -- a mission he's proud his daughter was a part of.
"God took her when he wanted to take her. She's up there looking down on us right now and is in a better place," Fahnestock said. Voelz's body will be returned to Dover Air Force base Tuesday night.
A full military funeral will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
As much of the world celebrates Saddam Hussein's capture, a Carlisle family is in mourning.
Staff Sgt. Kimberely Voelz, 27, met her husband max seven years ago in Army bootcamp. Voelz's father, Floyd Fahnestock, recalls it was a match made in heaven.
"They had a great marriage. They would be apart a week and it would be a honeymoon when they got back together," Fahnestock said.
The couple -- part of the same Army unit -- were deployed together to Iraq in September.
This June, the Voelz's would have been married four years. Instead, Kimberely Voelz died in her husband's arms Sunday night in Baghdad.
"I am so happy that he was with her," Fahnestock said, who took the life changing phone call from his son-in law.
"We got the news Sunday morning. We were in church at 9 o'clock Sunday morning. the whole family."
According to Fahnestock, his daughter was critically injured in Fallujah when she approached a bomb on a telephone pole and it exploded before she could defuse it.
Voelz was trained in explosives and knew she was in a dangerous situation.
Still, her father says she loved her job.
"She loved the service. She loved the bomb squad," he said.
Faunestock, a Vietnam veteran, understands as well as anyone the price of combat.
"When (I) close (my) eyes at night, it sets in; I toss and turn at night," he said.
He says he's not bitter and still believes in the United States' mission in Iraq -- a mission he's proud his daughter was a part of.
"God took her when he wanted to take her. She's up there looking down on us right now and is in a better place," Fahnestock said. Voelz's body will be returned to Dover Air Force base Tuesday night.
A full military funeral will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.