Funeral set for Antioch soldier
The funeral for Spc. Andrew Wade, the 22-year-old Antioch soldier killed in Afghanistan last week, is scheduled for Monday, March 21 at St. Peter Church, 557 Lake St. in Antioch. Services will begin at 11 a.m.
Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 19, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 20, at Strang Funeral Home at 1055 Main St., Antioch.
Wade, who was deployed in spring 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, died from his injuries two days after a “noncombat-related” incident on March 7 in Kunduz Province, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
A family friend said Wade was injured the day before he was scheduled to return home.
In a statement released to the media, Wade’s family said he was devoted to his friends, family and country and was proud of his service in the Army.
“That service and commitment made us extremely proud of the man Andrew became,” the statement said. “He truly is our hero and we will always cherish each moment we have had with him in the last 22 years.”
Wade, who joined the Army a year after graduating from Antioch High School, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. No other information was provided about how he was killed.
Wade’s awards and decorations include the NATO medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
A star soccer player at Antioch High School, Wade is the third soldier with ties to the Antioch area to have been killed overseas. Ben Janksy, was killed in the line of duty in Iraq in 2005, and Richard “Joe” Jordan in Iraq five years later.
Antioch Mayor Larry Hanson said village and high school officials will meet to determine how to best remember Wade.
Contributions can be made to the Chicago Kickers Soccer Club, 259 W. Grand Ave., Lake Villa, IL 60046, Open Arms Mission, P.O. Box 87, Antioch, IL 60002, Fisher House Foundation, 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850-5168 or Patriot Guard Riders, c/o Jon Tatum, 2124 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa, OK 74114.