Corporal Keith V. Nepsa

Due to inclement weather, the arrival of Corporal Keith Nepsa has been rescheduled for Saturday June 9, 2007.### Update###Cpl. Nepsa now scheduled to arrive at 4:30 PM SATURDAY at the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. Arrival to the Dover Â? New Philadelphia area is now anticipated between 5:30 and 6:30PM. WJER AM 1450 will provide live updates from the funeral procession to enable all who wish to line the route to pay tribute to Cpl. Nepsa and his family to do so in a timely manner. ###The procession will proceed as planned in the original itinerary with only a minor change to the route in downtown New Philadelphia. The cortege will turn north on Broadway from High Avenue, then turn east on Fair Avenue, before proceeding south on Second Street and back onto East High Avenue to the front of City Hall where Mayor Ron Brodzinski will issue a welcoming proclamation before the cortege concludes at the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home at New Philadelphia.The original plans for Sunday June, 10 and the public funeral ceremony Monday, June 11 will not change. ###United States Army Corporal Keith V. Nepsa, age 21, of New Philadelphia, died a hero Saturday, June 2, 2007, while serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. Born at Dover, September 2, 1985, he was a son of Michele Snyder Nepsa of New Philadelphia. His father Brian Nepsa resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Keith enlisted in the United States Army in 2003 with dreams and goals of furthering his education. His dream ended last week when he died of injuries sustained when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated near a vehicle he and his comrade and great friend Corporal Jeremiah Costello were traveling in near Qayyarah, Iraq. Corporal Costello received mortal wounds in the same explosion. Both will be sadly missed by friends and fellow soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, as well as Fort Polk, Louisiana, where Keith was stationed during his first tour of Iraq. At the time of his death, Corporal Nepsa was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Calvary Division, of Fort Bliss, Texas. A 2003 graduate of New Philadelphia High School, Keith was taking classes at St. Leo University of Florida, he was concentrating in computer engineering and programming. Keith was last home in New Philadelphia to celebrate his 21st birthday in September, 2006. He had plans to return to the United States in February, 2008, upon completing his time served with the Army. Before joining the armed forces, Keith undertook restoration of a 1985 Camaro with the help of his friends. Keith’s dearest friends have initiated efforts to complete the restoration of the Camaro as a memorial project. Well-liked, Keith will be remembered for his inability to sit still. His infectious laugh made him instantly popular within many groups of friends. He was especially close with friends (listed alphabetically) Travis Boswell, Brandon Clow, Curtis Haught, Curtis Marcaletti all of New Philadelphia, Sgt. Bryon Michaels of Fort Polk, LA, and Casey Weber, of New Philadelphia. Keith resided in New Philadelphia with his adoring family, who in addition to his mother, include a brother Joshua Nepsa, sister Laura Nepsa, and maternal grandmother Charlene Snyder.Keith is also survived by a very special aunt Dana (Pete) Hafliger, and three cousins Daniel, Joesph, and Stephanie Hafliger; an adopted grandfather William Cunningham of New Philadelphia, and special friend Vince Little of Mineral City. Loving paternal grandparents, Robert and Nora Nepsa of North Carolina; an uncle, Mark Nepsa and two cousins Taylor and Willowann, all who reside in North Carolina. Keith also had a special place in his heart for his beloved dog princess Penelope Lynne, whom he had hoped would still be around to greet him next February, upon his arrival home from the military.Keith will be treated to a hero’s welcome Friday evening between approximately 6:45 and 8 PM as his funeral cortege arrives in the Tuscarawas valley via I-77. Honor guards from local veteran’s organizations will post colors along the procession route, which has been published as part of news reports in this edition of the Times-Reporter. Area residents are asked to line the procession route as a demonstration of respect for Corporal Nepsa. Live updates regarding the location of the procession will be provided on radio station AM 1450 WJER so listeners will know when to expect to be in place along the route. The casket will lie in state in the rotunda of the Tuscarawas County Courthouse Sunday afternoon from Noon until 3 PM where members of the public can pay respects. The family will receive friends in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia Sunday afternoon from 4PM Â? 8PM. Pastor Bill Sowers will lead the Nepsa funeral ceremony Monday morning at 10:30 in the NewPointe Community Church, 3950 SR 39 NW, Dover. Burial will follow with full military honors, in Evergreen Burial Park. Local restaurants are collaborating to provide a luncheon in J.I.M.’s Place, 221 West High Avenue, New Philadelphia, following the committal service. To share memories and condolences with the family, please visit the funeral home’s website. Many of Keith’s friends have left tributes to his life on a MySpace website created by Keith’s manager, role model and friend, Dino Martino. Tributes left at either site will be read and appreciated by the family. The Nepsa family has established the Keith Nepsa Memorial Scholarship through the Quaker Foundation. Contributions to the scholarship fund may be made payable to the Quaker Foundation, PO Box 627, New Philadelphia, OH 44663. Alternately, Friends of Keith have set to work on restoring Keith’s 1985 Camaro as a memorial to their friend. Along with donations of labor and parts from local automotive service providers, financial gifts are being accepted in care of Geib Funeral Home at 116 Second Street NE New Philadelphia OH 44663, please designate the gift to the Nepsa Camaro Memorial. Linn-Hert-Geib(330) 343-5506