COON RAPIDS, MN, USA U.S. Army SSG, HHC, 260TH QUARTERMASTER PETROLEUM SUPPORT BN, HUNTER AAF, GA DIWANIYAH, IRAQ 02/27/2007
Growing up BJ loved to do all the normal boy things, he loved to fish, play baseball, hunt, ride motorcycles and just about any activity that let him play outside. He was very protective of his little sister, Cassie, but still teased her and fought with her like normal siblings do. BJ loved to keep you guessing as to what he was up to and always loved to joke around with others.
When BJ graduated from high school he joined the army and for the next 3 ½ years was stationed in various places including Korea. In 2001 BJ met his wife, Stacy, at Fort Campbell KY, where they were stationed and where they were married. In 2002 they had their son, Chance. After Chance was born they both decided to end their military career and move to Minnesota where BJ would work for his dad and step-mom’s excavating business, which he did for the next few years. In 2003 BJ and Stacy had their daughter Alexis who was the apple of her daddy’s eye.
In 2005 BJ decided to reenlist in the Army for several reasons but the biggest being he wanted his combat patch. BJ was deployed to Iraq in the fall of 2006; he loved what he was doing and felt he was doing what he could to protect his family and his country. BJ was very patriotic and spoke very openly about what this country meant to him.
On February 26, 2007 BJ left for his 13th convoy mission in which he was in the lead vehicle as convoy commander, on this mission his vehicle was struck by an IED that took his life.
BJ is survived by his wife Stacy, his children Chance and Alexis, his dad and step-mom Jim and Dianna, his step-sister and brother-in-law, Cassie and Jamie and his nephew Parker.
BJ had a wonderfully warm smile and will be missed by many.