Yakima combat dies in combat

[darrels joy]

Yakima combat dies in combat
By BIANCA V?ZQUEZ TONESS
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC


Yakima resident Kyle Andrew Eggers died this weekend in Iraq, the fourth local serviceman to die in combat there since the war started in 2003.

The 27-year-old father of three was killed in the vicinity of Al Habbaniyah, just west of Fallujah, according to a statement released Monday through the Yakima Fire Department. A family friend in Euless, Texas, said he was killed by a land mine.

Although Eggers was born in Nebraska and grew up in a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas, he had strong ties to the Valley. His wife, Jennifer Eggers, graduated from Eisenhower High School in 2000. His mother-in-law, Susan Whitman, serves on the Yakima City Council. And Eggers worked for four years at the Yakima Training Center before departing for Iraq in August.

In addition to his wife, Eggers leaves behind three sons: 21/2 -year-old twins Kaden and Tegan, and 11-month-old Zane.

"He was an exceptionally fine human being, a nice guy and great soldier," James Reddick, spokesman for the Yakima Training Center, said Monday night.

Whitman declined to speak Monday about her son-in-law's death, but issued a news release through the fire department, where she and her daughter volunteer as reserve firefighters. The release stated that Eggers died "in action."

His parents and sister live in Euless, where he graduated from Trinity High School in 1995. He ran for the school's cross country team, according to local newspaper reports.

Eggers joined the Army immediately after graduation, according to Suzanne Hendrickson, a family friend. Eggers couldn't come home very often, since he was stationed in Fort Lewis, Wash., and in South Korea, among other places.

"His family really loved him," Hendrickson said. "They were very supportive of his desire to serve his country. They were proud of him."