The voices of thousands filled the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church with the words of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.”
As the congregation sang of liberty and freedom, U.S. Army soldiers in dress uniforms removed the American flag draped over Jonah David McClellan’s casket and began to fold it. Then, one by one, servicemen from various branches of the military stood before the opened casket, saluted their fallen comrade and walked out of the church, several fighting back tears as they left.
They were followed by the more than 2,000 people who attended the spiritual funeral at the church north of Battle Ground. Adults and children overflowed the church. Some took seats in the basement, others stood along the walls or sat in rows of chairs outside the building. And some gathered at the church’s Brush Prairie campus and listened to the service from afar.
All attended to remember McClellan and his devotion to his faith.
“With each one of you who has known him … each one would have the testimony of Jonah, that he upheld what he believed,” Preacher Russell Kysar said. “That’s what we want to hold onto.”
McClellan, a chief warrant officer and Army aviator, died last month in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. He was 26.
McClellan grew up near Battle Ground and graduated from Summit View High School in 2002. He leaves behind his wife of six years, Nina, their three children: 4-year-old Ayden, 2-year-old Ayla and 3-month-old Renn, and his parents, siblings and grandparents.
The family was joined after the service by hundreds of people at Elim Cemetery to bury McClellan. Members of the honor guard from Joint Base Lewis-McChord took part in the burial and presented Nina and each of their children with a flag.
At the service Friday, Kysar read a letter McClellan’s family wrote to the fallen soldier.
“We know that you are the happiest now,” he read. “We know you’re wearing that crown we’re all striving to get.”
“We want to thank God for the time we had with him,” he continued. “Goodbye, dear Jonah, until we meet again.”
McClellan was preceded in death by his infant son, Callen. Now, Kysar said, McClellan and his son are together again.
“Now he has left his young widow, Nina, but that son … we believe now they can join one another,” Kysar said.
While serving in Afghanistan, McClellan from time to time called to speak to Kysar and other preachers. McClellan lamented where he fell short and asked for forgiveness, Kysar said. He wanted to hear the testimony of forgiveness of sins, Preacher Don Homola said.
“We will miss him,” Homola said. “Yet, I don’t think anyone having that great knowledge of salvation would wish him back, but rather that we would be able to go there with him.”
As the thousands in attendance passed by McClellan’s casket to say their farewells, the congregation continued to sing.
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetly my soul shall rest.
Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.
