Edgewood Soldier To Be Honored At Memorial Day Ceremony

LUTHERVILLE-TIMONIUM, MD — During the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, six members of the military from Maryland will be honored for making the supreme sacrifice. Among them is an Edgewood soldier.

Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar, 37, of Edgewood, died April 8, 2017, serving during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. He was killed in combat when confronted by enemy forces using small arms fire.

The mission he was serving, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, is a counter-terrorism operation to combat remnants of al Qaeda and support Afghan security forces, according to the Department of Defense.

His visitation and funeral service were reportedly attended by hundreds in Abingdon. Afterward, his body was taken on a tour past Joppatowne High School, where he graduated in 1998. He leaves behind wife, Natasha, and children Rodrigo, Tatiyana and Marcos De Alencar, Deshawn and Octavia Osborne.

The annual ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens will honor service members who lost their lives while serving their country in the past 14 months.

In addition to Staff Sgt. Mark F. De Alencar, these five soldiers will be honored on Memorial Day at the event:

• Sgt. Eric M. Houck, U.S. Army, 25, of Perry Hall
• Petty Officer First Class Xavier A. Martin, U.S. Navy, 24, of Halethorpe
• Petty Officer First Class Kevin S. Bushell, U.S. Navy, 26, of Gaithersburg
• Petty Officer Second Class Timothy T. Eckels Jr., U.S. Navy, 23, of Manchester
• Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, U.S. Army, 39, who served at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.

The former owners of Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens began the annual ceremony because they thought the public was losing sight of the meaning of Memorial Day. The new owners, who purchased the cemetery in 2007, have continued the tradition. This marks the 51st annual event.

The Memorial Day ceremony is free and open to the public. It will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 28, at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Circle of the Immortals, 200 East Padonia Road, Timonium, MD 21093.

Related:

• Edgewood Soldier Laid To Rest At Arlington National Cemetery
• Death Of Harford Soldier Leads To Outpouring Of Support
• Edgewood Soldier Killed In Afghanistan
• Soldier Death Prompts Lowering Of Harford County Flag, Response From Governor
• 6 Maryland Soldiers To Be Honored At Memorial Day Ceremony 2018

Pictured, Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar. Photo Credit: U.S. Army.