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Lcpl. Cifuentes Obituary
Family-Placed Obituary
CIFUENTES, LCpl. Michael J. USMC Lance Corporal Michael J. Cifuentes, USMC age 25 of Oxford passed away as a result of injuries sustained in hostile action in Barwanah, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Michael was born June 25, 1980 in Hamilton, the son of Gregory J. and Carolyn (Brown) Cifuentes. He graduated from St. Xavier High School and Miami University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Before getting his call to duty Michael was in the process of obtaining a Master's Degree in Integrated Mathematics from MU. LCpl. Cifuentes was a parishioner of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Oxford. Michael will always be remembered for his beautiful smile and sense of humor. He lived the motto "Men for Others." He is survived by his loving parents, Gregory and Carolyn Cifuentes; fiancé, Tara Reynolds and her family; brother, Daniel Cifuentes; grandparents, James and Jean Cifuentes; uncles/aunts, Martin/Cindy Cifuentes, James/Renee Cifuentes, Susan Keane, John/Donna Brown, Matthew/Robin Cifuentes, Patrick/Shari Cifuentes, Michael/Beth Jones, Joel/Melissa Cifuentes, David/Nancy Cifuentes, James/Terri Brown, Mark/Cindy Hinkle, Kenneth/Teresa Brown; preceded in death by grandparents Kenneth and Josephine Brown. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Fairfield Fire Chief Donald G. Bennett, Captain Russell Kammer, the Fairfield Fire Department, Bryan Avance and the staff of Avance Funeral Home & Crematory, Captain Michael Jylkka USMC, SSgt. Bernard Daley USMC, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones and staff, Butler County Sheriff Deputy Best, Fr. Len Fecko, Bobbi Kinne and staff of St. Mary's Church in Oxford, Fr. Mike Puckey from St Julie Billiart's Church in Hamilton, Dr. Robert Farrell, Superintendent of Fairfield City Schools, the staff of Central Elementary School, City administrations for the City of Fairfield and City of Hamilton, Fairfield and Hamilton Police Departments, Frame and Save Oxford, Jim Brown with International Paper, Liz Woedle, Terry and Vickie Griffin, Joe and Debbie Reed, relatives, neighbors, friends known and unknown, and a special thank you to Wendy Weaver and Karen Burdine. Also, they would like to offer their prayers to all of the other military families who have lost loved ones, and to those who still have loved ones fighting on foreign soil. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m., Monday August 15, 2005 at the St. Julie Billiart Church, 224 Dayton St., Hamilton, OH 45011. Burial with Full Military Honors will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati. A private prayer service will begin at 3 p.m., followed with a prayer service for uniformed personnel with public visitation from 3:30 -7 p.m., Sunday August 14 at the Fairfield High School Gymnasium, 8800 Holden Blvd., Fairfield, OH 45014. Memorials: American Red Cross-Butler County Chapter, 1227 Central Ave., Middletown, OH. Information and Condolences: www.avancefuneralhome.com.
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Memories and Condolences
for Lcpl. Cifuentes
PAUL AND JOY FRY
August 20, 2005
Our thoughts and prayers to your family and friends. And our sincere appreciation for your courage.
missy b
August 19, 2005
i am so sorry for the loss of your son. i did not know him nor did i know the family but i know God, he truely truely shared your son's life with each and everyone of us. FOR THAT WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL. even though alot of us did not know him he knew what he was fighting for and he knew he was fighting for everyone of all lives that we will have freedom, he must have been one heck of an angel to give his life for billions of us to be able to live in a better world. i thank God for all he has done for this country and for all of the other men and women giving up their time and lives for us. please keep my son and the millions of other young men and women in your prayers also, my son too is going to inlist into the navy. we will keep your family and all the families with love ones fighting for our country in our prayers.
THANK YOU LCPL. CIFUENTES
missy b.
Christy LeRoy
August 19, 2005
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cifuentes and Daniel,
There are no words to express how I really felt and still feel about Michael. He will continue to be inspiration to me in how I live my life. From Y basketball at 8 to math class at 13 to band camp as seniors enjoying our freedon together, I always had a great respect and love for him. Michael has touched so many lives and he will live forever. I think of you always and pray for you daily in this great loss to your family, the community and the world.
With love,
Christy LeRoy
August 19, 2005
Is there any words that can be said to comfort the family and friends of a brave hero? God bless you and all the soldiers and their families. This brave hero is now an angel. My prayers go out to this family.
Patricia Cyrus
August 19, 2005
May God's love and grace embrace your hearts during this time of
your love one's homegoing. At the sound of the trumpet, you will see
him again. (I Thes 4:13-18).
Deborah Rider
August 18, 2005
Im So Sorry for your loss. you are in my prayers. Deborah Rider
Mark and Jewell DeFrates
August 18, 2005
Words alone can not express how thankful we are to you for your ultimate sacrifice. May God surround your family with his love and know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Melninda Elswick
August 17, 2005
I just want you to know that I am thinking of you and the rest of the Marine families. I have a 19 year old son currently serving in Iraq and can only imagine the heartbreak that you are feeling. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Stacy Ewen
August 17, 2005
In deepest sympathy in the loss of your son and loved one. May he look over each of you from Heaven, as he did here on Earth.
mike priest
August 17, 2005
Thank you Lcpl. Cifuentes for your ultimate sacrifice.
Donna Walls
August 17, 2005
Just wanted to send my condolences to your family. The bible says that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your brother and I believe that is exactly what Michael did. You all must be very proud of him and I want you to know that I am very grateful that we have people like Michael protecting us. May God's love surround you and bring you peace.
With Love and Prayers,
S. House
August 17, 2005
Land of the Free...
Home of the Brave...
May your son rest in peace...
Dixie Ricker
August 16, 2005
I did not know your son nor do I know your family. I just saw his obit when I was reading another obit from my family line.
I want you to know that my heart and prayers go out to your family to help you get through this very difficult time.
Your son was helping accomplish continued freedom for us and giving independence to others. He gave the greates sacrifice of all and for this I salute him as a great hero and I salute you, his family. He will forever be a hero!
Marcia Melton
August 16, 2005
I did not know Jeff, but my thoughts and prayers are with all the family at this very sad time. He was one of many heros who are fighting for our freedom, he has a special place in Heaven, may Our Lord surround your family with His Love and Peace at this difficult time. My family all lives in Hamilton, so my heart goes out to all the family. God Bless you and God Bless America
Theresa Pace
August 16, 2005
I'M DEEPLY SORRY FOR LOSS.
I WILL PRAYER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.GOD WILL UPLIFT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN HIS ARMS UNTIL YOU ALL CAN WALK FOR YOUR SELVES. THEN I WILL ASK GOD TO ALWAY BE BY YOUR SIDE.I WILL PRAY FOR MORE LOVE AND BUNDANCE OF BLESSINGS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. BE BLESSED UP UNTIL WE EVER WRITE AGAIN.
FROM THERESA
Jenny Butler
August 16, 2005
My husband & I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family. As fellow veterans we truly appreciate what Michael did for our country & for abroad. May God be with you & I know that he is with his heavenly father. May God continue to bless you. Thank you for your service Michael!
August 15, 2005
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 1472 Liberty< Indiana
Michelle Richmond
August 15, 2005
We are truly sorry for the loss of your son, brother, fiance, and friend.
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Michelle Richmond & Mary Scrivner
Ohio Casualty Ins. Co.
Jim & Sue Venters
August 15, 2005
Please accept our sincere condolences on the loss of your son. We didn’t know him or the family but we wanted you to know that we (and we’re sure many, many others) care about your loss and are deeply appreciative that he was fighting for all of us and our country. Our prayers are with you. May God Bless You Always.
Donald L. Faris
August 15, 2005
My prayers are with the family of Lcpl. Cifuentes's family. It is a terrible sacrifice for our freedom however your son has joined the ranks of other HEROS that have given their lives for our continued freedom. God has a special place for thes soldiers and their familys.
God Bless all of You.
Don Faris
jo mcgill
August 15, 2005
Our hearts are broken. This community has lost a true hero. May you find comfort in the numbers that grieve with you. Our family member leaves for Iraq very soon. Please keep him in your prayers as we keep Michael in ours.
Linda Brunner
August 15, 2005
My God Bless these young men who gave their lives so we can be free! You are a true hero. We have honored you Michael, with a memorial mural that is here at the One Way Farm Childrens home. Thank you for a job well done! Rest in peace.
Erin and Benjamin Miller
August 15, 2005
Dear Cifuentes family and friends,
My son and I want to express our sympathy to your family over the loss of your son. He paid the absolute price so my son can grow up living a life of being free.I thank him for that in my prayers. I hope someday your grief is lessened by knowing that you raised a true Hero. God bless you.
Kelly Meister
August 13, 2005
Thank You for your sons sacrifice. I am from Hamilton, Oh but joined the Marine Corps in 1985, was was discharged in 1993. I'll always be a Marine at heart.
Semper Fi,
Sgt. Kelly J. Meister, USMC
Carl B. Mills
August 13, 2005
God Bless the Cifuentes Family, and their many friends. Thank you Lcpl. Cifuentes .
Richard Turpin
August 12, 2005
On behalf of my son and I, we would like to say how sorry we are for your loss. He sounded like a remarkable young man, who now will be with God and helping the world to be a better place.
Always
Rick & Vincent Turpin
August 12, 2005
our deepiest sympathy you are a hero jeff chanel destiny and dakota numberg
Scott, Goldie & Mandy Pike
August 12, 2005
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
The Lord has promised to prepare
A place in heaven above
A home wher we will always be
with him and those we love.
God's love is always there.
The Pike family
Trenton, Ohio
Jewell Philpot
August 12, 2005
My family would like to express our deepest sympathy to your family sir, you and so many others have sacrificed your lives and the lives of your families for our FREEDOM!!! All our bests.
Tammy Sprandel
August 12, 2005
Thank you Lcpl. Cifuentes for your ultimate sacrafice to insure our freedom. May your family and friends always remember that you are truly an American hero. God bless.
Bonnie Taulbee
August 12, 2005
My heart goes out to you Patrick and your family. You will all be in my prayers. God Bless You.
Bob and Martha Rauen
August 12, 2005
Please accept our condolences and prayers. We are members of St. Mary Church in Oxford.
Richard Caudill
August 12, 2005
Please aceept my condolences, I am very sorry for your lost, I will keep your family in my prayers
Deanna Hering
August 12, 2005
Carolyn, Greg, Daniel and Tara
My heartfelt prayers are with you and God’s love is always there to comfort you and give you peace. May He wrap his arms around you in your times of need.
Michael....Thank you. Rest with your Lord
Love, Deanna
HELEN & MARION KELLEY
August 12, 2005
MAY OUR LORD BE VERY NEAR AND COMFORT YOUR BROKEN HEARTS AT THIS TOME IN YOUR LIFE.
b gray
August 12, 2005
Please accept my condolences. I will keep your family in my prayers. God bless.
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