Today we are gathered to honor our son Sergeant Allen James Dunckley, our hero. James loved his Lord, his family, and his country. While we mourn what we have lost and the void that is left, we rejoice in what he has gained and the impact that his life has made on others. He is now in the presence of his Lord and Savior.

At 16, James announced that he was a man, and didn’t want to be treated as a child. From then on he conducted himself as a man. His hero was David, the warrior whose faith in God enabled him to kill the Giant Goliath. James, too, was never afraid of the world, no matter how big the problem, because he walked with God. Nothing ever disconcerted him. He was always calm and in control.

When James was growing up, I prayed that God would make him a strong soldier for the Lord, a leader who had backbone and would not be afraid to stand for what was right, God answered my prayer, but not as I expected. I envisioned James as a pastor, but God had other plans for him. It became obvious that James was a true soldier. He was a physically fit patriot, who wanted to preserve for his family and friends the freedoms that were the reasons for America’s founding.

James wanted to be real and often stated that as long as he was doing what God wanted him to do, it didn’t matter what other people thought. He was a doer, not a talker, but when he did talk, it was well thought out and meaningful. He didn’t give his heart easily, but when he did, he gave it completely and with loyalty. He was a thoughtful, caring son with an adventuresome heart, a tender, loving husband, and a proud and loving father. A true military man, he was always concerned for his comrades, and spent much time and money to be sure that his team had what they needed to go to war.

James was happy because he knew that he was doing what God had called him to do. We know that James was in the will of the Lord, and that he fulfilled the purpose for which God created him. While we do not understand why his time on earth was so short, we do know that God’s ways are perfect.

James has stepped from the presence of the enemy to the presence of the Lord, but he has left us with his lovely wife Jen who has become a daughter to us and two beautiful grandchildren. As young Will Dawson said, “When you hug your grandson, you are hugging James.” It is our prayer that Joshua and Hannah will follow in their father’s footsteps and walk with God. Our loss is great and truly “my flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”. It is only the strength of the Lord, the certainty of heaven, and the support of family and friends that keeps us going.

It is impossible to state in a few words the very special person that James was. He never fit the mold, he was always unique, he loved young people, he brought joy and laughter into a room. James was a true David, a warrior, a leader, a man of God. He was not afraid of death, because He knew he had eternal life through Jesus Christ. Just as David, he was truly “a man after God’s own heart”.

I love you so much, and I am so very proud of you, James. I mourn because I cannot hold you tightly or see you smile. I mourn that you are not with your wife, and that your children will not know how special you are, but I rejoice because I know that this is only a temporary separation, and that one day I will walk into the presence of our Lord and fold you in my arms and see your smile again. You are my hero. Until we meet at Jesus feet…Semper Fi.