Lucas Trent Vinson

Funeral services for Lucas "Trent" Vinson, 27, of Leesville will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 at the First Baptist Church in Leesville, with Bro. Irby Perkins and Bro. Lloyd Handorf officiating.

Burial will follow in the Old Anacoco Cemetery. Friends may visit Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. and on Thursday September 24 from 8 a.m. until service time at the church. Services are under the direction of the Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville.

 Trent Vinson was born in DeRidder on March 12, 1982. He passed from this life on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 at the age of 27 years, six months and one day in North Tikrit, Iraq. ?Trent was a man who loved life and lived it out loud and to the fullest.

Trent had many friends all around the world.

?He attended school, K-12, at Pickering Elementary and high school at Pickering. There, he excelled in various sports including football, baseball and basketball.

Trent was a graduate of the Pickering High School Class of 2000.
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As a young man, Trent enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping in the Louisiana woods and a good paint ball fight. As a man, he loved to be surrounded by friends and family.

Traveling soon turned into his favorite pastime. ?Trent's first trip abroad was to Cancun, Mexico upon his high school graduation. This sparked an interest in travel and he traveled again when he started his career with KBR in October, 2003 in Iraq. ?When on R&R, Trent loved to travel with his friends and brothers. He always said he wanted to see the world. He worked on doing just that, traveling to Indonesia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Australia, Venezuela and Costa Rica. ?Trent loved the LSU Tigers and the New Orleans Saints. He had tickets to attend home games on his next R&R which was scheduled for October 24, just a few short weeks away. ?Rhonda, Trent's mother, shared that from the time he was just a young man, he always told her that "God has a bigger purpose for me and when I go, I'm going out in a blaze of glory." That he did. He is a true hero. ?When anyone mentions Trent, most think of him as a man who would give you the shirt off his back.

Trent's best friend, Mike Hicks, recalls being in a taxi with Trent when he literally took off his $70 shirt and gave it to his cab driver and requested to go to Kentucky Fried Chicken where he bought the driver a meal. ?Trent's MawMaw, Ramona, says she will miss his big smile, his bear hugs and will hold onto her precious memories of her grandson. ?Rosemary, his Mamaw, who he lovingly referred to as "Shortie," remembers his love of life and fun-loving attitude.

She also holds dear his love for Christ.

Debbie and Randall said there is not a person with a bigger heart.

Trent was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Paul Vinson, step-grandfather Alford E. Edwards, and his cousin Jacob Hinson.

Trent loved animals and leaves his English Bulldog, Butch.

Trent is survived by his father and mother: Myron "Bugsy" & Rhonda Vinson of Leesville; brothers David (Martha) Vinson, Casey Vinson, and Wesley Vinson; sister Tabatha (Greg) Green; grandparents Rosemary Edwards, Ramona "Busy" Vinson, and Kenneth Smith; nieces and nephews Haley Vinson, Dawson Vinson, Briar Green, and Paige Green; aunts and uncles Randall and Debbie Smith, Raymond Smith, Robert and Denise Smith, Sabrina Smith Gibbs, Paul "Buck" and Annette Vinson, Peggy and Peanut-Robert Vinson, Mac and Sammy Hinson; cousins Richie and Melissa Vinson, Erin Smith, Dustin and Jomarie Smith, Natalie Smith, Creek Smith, Keith Schott, Parker Schott, Dawson River Schott, Jessica Smith, Dillon Smith, P.D. Vinson, Dink Vinson, Easton Vinson and Brennon Vinson, Lauren Vinson, Nathan Vinson and Amber Vinson, Allie WIlliams, Maddison Vinson, Anna Clair Vinson, Mandy Vinson, Kristen Fisher, Austin Vinson, Kelli and Prentice Lyles, Bo Hinson, Chris Hinson, Blake Hinson, Patrick Hinson, and Katie Hinson.

Trent will be carried to his final resting place by his pallbearers - his brothers, David Vinson, Wesley Vinson and Casey Vinson; and his cousins, Bo Hinson, P.D. Vinson, Richie Vinson, Nathan Vinson, Austin Vinson, Dillon Smith and Dustin Smith.

Honorary pallbearers will include his best friends. ?

Words cannot express the loss his entire family feels. Trent loved and was loved by everyone who knew him. He will always be remembered, and only time can heal the pain his family feels at his passing.