Roll Call Tribute
Frank Wearden Jr. '09 May 18, 2012 8:06 AM
Published in Victoria Advocate on May 18, 2012
FRANK WILLIAM "WILL" WEARDEN
VICTORIA - Aggie Catholic, Frank William "Will" Wearden Jr., joined the Communion of Saints on Monday, May 14, 2012. Will was born on December 24, 1978, in Victoria to Frank W. and Gloria Rosse Wearden.
Will graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1997, where he was a three year football letterman at center, a team captain, and earned All-District honors twice.
Will was a proud member of the Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets, Company L-1 and Parsons Mounted Cavalry. He was proud to contribute to Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire. He served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Army Commendation Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation for his service with the 1-6 Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, out of Baumholder, Germany. Upon his return, he was able to participate as a veteran in the Wounded Warrior Weekend project.
Will's love for people led him to volunteer at the Riding Therapy Center in Victoria. He loved the outdoors and was a tree climber, a skydiver, a world traveler, a horseback rider, a campfire builder and a story teller. He loved philosophy, family and Texas music and was a great dancer. With his passing, the choir of angels gained an incredible tenor; his family and friends look forward to hearing him sing in heaven.
Will is survived by his maternal grandmother, Gloria Anne Rosse, his parents, siblings Annie (David) Coffey, Winchester (Monica) Wearden, Betsy (Jared) Black, as well as his nieces and nephews, whom he adored: Mariah Elizabeth Coffey, Cecilia Ruth Coffey, James Finn Coffey, William Taylor Black, Joseph Stephen Coffey and Henry Thomas Black.
Will is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Robert John and Elva Jean Wearden, and his maternal grandfather, Oscar David Rosse.
A Visitation will be held on Friday, May 18, 2012 from 6.00 to 7.00 p.m. at Our Lady Of Victory Cathedral with a Rosary to begin at 7 pm. A Mass of the Resurrection will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012, 9:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Cathedral. He will be laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 2 p.m.
Pallbearers are Winchester Wearden, David Coffey, Jared Black, Buck McDowell, Matt Henderson, Jacob Respondek, Charles Rosse, Thomas O'Connor, Becca Davis Harkleroad, Sam Bek, Clint Mabry and Michael Magallan. Honorary Pallbearers are Will's nieces and nephews.
Donations to the Will Wearden Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo will be disbursed to the Will Wearden Endowed Scholarship Fund at St. Joseph High School, the Victoria Riding Therapy Center, and a Diocese of Victoria Seminary Burse.
Words of Comfort may be left to the family at www.colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com.
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From www.kristv.com/news/ (on) May 16, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI - The Nueces County Medical Examiner has listed 'blunt force and sharp trauma' as the cause of death for Frank "Will" Wearden of Kleberg County.
On Monday, authorities arrested 20-year-old Michael Lerma on a charge of capital murder. It's believed robbery was the motive for the killing.
His roommate, David Sanchez, told us the registered sex offender had complained recently about money troubles. Sanchez also said investigators told him Wearden was tied up, beaten and attacked with a machete.
Investigators have not released further details on the circumstances of Wearden's death. His body was found along a ditch on County Road 2340, south of Riviera, twelve hours after he was last seen leaving a nightclub in Kingsville.
Deputies had been called out to the area that same morning by someone who heard screams and a work crew who noticed blood on the road.
Investigators say surveillance video from a Stripes store lead them to Lerma who is accused of trying to use the victim's credit cards at the store. Deputies later found the victim's truck in the driveway of the Louisiana Street home where Lerma lived for the past few weeks.
Lerma's being held for capital murder in the Kleberg County jail on one million dollars bond.
Family members say Wearden was a military veteran who was taking classes at Texas A&M Kingsville. Funeral arrangements have not been announced yet.
FRANK WILLIAM "WILL" WEARDEN
VICTORIA - Aggie Catholic, Frank William "Will" Wearden Jr., joined the Communion of Saints on Monday, May 14, 2012. Will was born on December 24, 1978, in Victoria to Frank W. and Gloria Rosse Wearden.
Will graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1997, where he was a three year football letterman at center, a team captain, and earned All-District honors twice.
Will was a proud member of the Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets, Company L-1 and Parsons Mounted Cavalry. He was proud to contribute to Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire. He served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Army Commendation Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation for his service with the 1-6 Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, out of Baumholder, Germany. Upon his return, he was able to participate as a veteran in the Wounded Warrior Weekend project.
Will's love for people led him to volunteer at the Riding Therapy Center in Victoria. He loved the outdoors and was a tree climber, a skydiver, a world traveler, a horseback rider, a campfire builder and a story teller. He loved philosophy, family and Texas music and was a great dancer. With his passing, the choir of angels gained an incredible tenor; his family and friends look forward to hearing him sing in heaven.
Will is survived by his maternal grandmother, Gloria Anne Rosse, his parents, siblings Annie (David) Coffey, Winchester (Monica) Wearden, Betsy (Jared) Black, as well as his nieces and nephews, whom he adored: Mariah Elizabeth Coffey, Cecilia Ruth Coffey, James Finn Coffey, William Taylor Black, Joseph Stephen Coffey and Henry Thomas Black.
Will is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Robert John and Elva Jean Wearden, and his maternal grandfather, Oscar David Rosse.
A Visitation will be held on Friday, May 18, 2012 from 6.00 to 7.00 p.m. at Our Lady Of Victory Cathedral with a Rosary to begin at 7 pm. A Mass of the Resurrection will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012, 9:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Cathedral. He will be laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 2 p.m.
Pallbearers are Winchester Wearden, David Coffey, Jared Black, Buck McDowell, Matt Henderson, Jacob Respondek, Charles Rosse, Thomas O'Connor, Becca Davis Harkleroad, Sam Bek, Clint Mabry and Michael Magallan. Honorary Pallbearers are Will's nieces and nephews.
Donations to the Will Wearden Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo will be disbursed to the Will Wearden Endowed Scholarship Fund at St. Joseph High School, the Victoria Riding Therapy Center, and a Diocese of Victoria Seminary Burse.
Words of Comfort may be left to the family at www.colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
From www.kristv.com/news/ (on) May 16, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI - The Nueces County Medical Examiner has listed 'blunt force and sharp trauma' as the cause of death for Frank "Will" Wearden of Kleberg County.
On Monday, authorities arrested 20-year-old Michael Lerma on a charge of capital murder. It's believed robbery was the motive for the killing.
His roommate, David Sanchez, told us the registered sex offender had complained recently about money troubles. Sanchez also said investigators told him Wearden was tied up, beaten and attacked with a machete.
Investigators have not released further details on the circumstances of Wearden's death. His body was found along a ditch on County Road 2340, south of Riviera, twelve hours after he was last seen leaving a nightclub in Kingsville.
Deputies had been called out to the area that same morning by someone who heard screams and a work crew who noticed blood on the road.
Investigators say surveillance video from a Stripes store lead them to Lerma who is accused of trying to use the victim's credit cards at the store. Deputies later found the victim's truck in the driveway of the Louisiana Street home where Lerma lived for the past few weeks.
Lerma's being held for capital murder in the Kleberg County jail on one million dollars bond.
Family members say Wearden was a military veteran who was taking classes at Texas A&M Kingsville. Funeral arrangements have not been announced yet.
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