32, of Hardwick, Vermont.
Merchant died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when his
HMMWV came under attack by enemy forces using a vehicle-borne
improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade. He was
assigned to the Army National Guard's 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry
Regiment, Jericho, Vermont. Died on March 1, 2006.
We honor his service and his life on Memorial Day and always.
From an AP article by David Gram
Christopher Merchant graduated from Peoples Academy in 1991, later returned to work there as a custodian and dreamed of being a teacher someday.
But there was something else he had to do first. He did a stint in the Army and returned to civilian life. When the Vermont National Guard’s Task Force Saber was deployed to Iraq, he signed up to serve again.
And when the 32-year-old Merchant arrived back at Peoples Academy on Saturday, he was in a casket. More than 200 family and friends gathered there Saturday to recall the fallen soldier as a man of honor and integrity who put others before himself.
Merchant was killed March 1 in Ramadi, Iraq, when the observation post where he was stationed came under attack by insurgents.
“May you rest in peace. You deserve it,” his weeping widow Monica said during brief remarks at the beginning of a Catholic funeral mass.
Rev. John Hamilton of St. Norbert’s Church in Hardwick said Merchant’s selflessness was evident even during childhood, when he would step forward to take the blame for his siblings’ mischief.
He urged those in the audience, a number of whom wept openly, to look for strength from faith in God. “We can feel the full weight of our loss and yet not be crushed by sorrow like those who have no hope,” the priest said.
He asked those who felt angry to “channel that anger into doing something positive in honor of Chris.”
And he had specific words for several of Merchant’s close relatives, telling his son and three daughters, ages 9 to 14, that their father “loved you more than you can even imagine.”
From the Burlington Frees Press by Sky Barsch
In the very high school where he was a student, managed the basketball team, made friendships and later worked as a custodian, Vermont Army National Guard Spc. Christopher Merchant was honored as a courageous and dedicated man Saturday at his funeral.
Merchant's family, including his wife, Monica, and his four children, and hundreds of friends, members of the military and political leaders filled Peoples Academy gymnasium to pay their respect to a soldier who truly believed he was making a difference in Iraq.
To many members of the close-knit community, Merchant was once just the son of the Morrisville postmaster.
Merchant, 32, of Hardwick, was killed the morning of March 1 near Ramadi, Iraq, when two rocket-propelled grenades slammed into his Humvee, according to the Vermont National Guard. He is said to have died instantly.
At his funeral, mourners wore armbands celebrating his life, and tears fell from eyes old and young.
"Just 10 days ago, the tragic news came to Chris's family," the Rev. John Hamilton said. "It was the news that everyone who has a loved one serving in the armed forces fears and dreads."
Hamilton, of St. Norbert Catholic Church in Hardwick, said he spoke with Merchant shortly before he went overseas. Merchant told the priest that his fears were not for his own life, but for what would become of his family if he died. He worried his young son would grow up too fast.
But, he believed so strongly in a chance to bring freedom to the people of Iraq that he volunteered to go overseas, Hamilton and others said.
"Chris wanted to make a difference in the world. He was a man of peace and he desired peace and freedom for everyone," Hamilton said. "For this, he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of his life. Jesus said no greater love does one have than to lay down his life for another."
"Chris wanted to change the world. He wanted to make it a better place for his children and for everyone else," Hamilton said.
Monica Merchant spoke briefly at the start of the funeral.
"Christopher, may you rest in peace. You deserve it. You kept this country safe," she said, her pain apparent through her tears and difficulty speaking. "Now you're safe in God's arms."
