SPOKANE VALLEY, WA, US
U.S. Marine Corps
CPL, MP CO (RCT-2, I MEF FWD) 2D MAW, MCAS CHERRY POINT, NC
05/11/2010, DELARAM, AFGHANISTAN
Lance Corporal Dumaw was born June 13, 1987 and grew up in Spokane Valley, Washington. Joshua is a 2005 West Valley High School graduate. He loved anything outdoors, from snowboarding to skateboarding, water tubing and swimming. And “the thing about Josh was he was always looking out after the little kids, taking them camping. We would all camp together, and Josh would never let any of the little kids feel left out,” according to Stacey McGarvey, a family friend. Josh was always on the go and did just about everything with the exception of his homework at 110%.
“He had a desire to be something greater than himself,” and his service to the country reflected that aspiration, said the Rev. Matthew Paul officiating at Dumaw’s memorial service. Lance Corporal Dumaw leaves behind his beautiful wife Kailyn Dumaw, their son Joshua Robert Alexander Dumaw aka “Bodie” and an adoring extended family.
“His smile could comfort me even in the most unknown territory,” Kailyn Dumaw said. Dumaw’s mother, Jennifer Dumaw-Gorman, wrote that her son “had chosen a wonderful girl who understood him, and loved him as much as I did. And was there to watch over him.”
Mrs. Dumaw-Gorman said she named her son Joshua because it means “a gift from God.” “The number of people Josh touched is truly overwhelming and says a lot about the person he was when words will never accurately tell his whole story.”
The Marine Corps came naturally to Josh and he excelled quickly from the rank of Private to Lance Corporal in two short years. Josh had successfully completed MP training and was looking towards his future, working in the law enforcement field following his service in the Marine Corps. It was announced on June 28th at his memorial service at the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point, North Carolina that there will be a building on base named after Joshua to honor him. He loved being a Marine and what being a Marine meant. He was truly an inspiration to his family, friends and country. He lived every day as if it was his last. Always doing what he loved to do the most. We all will miss what a great blessing he was to every one of us. Rest In Peace Joshua. From Lance Corporal Dumaw’s family.