Hundreds gather for fallen soldier's send-off in New York

As many as 300 people gathered Monday at St. Mary's Church for a memorial service for Army Pfc. Patrick DeVoe II of central New York. DeVoe was killed March 8 by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Kandau Kalay.

DeVoe's smile "would light up a room, his laugh was infectious," said Army Maj. Kevin Swab, reading a letter from one of DeVoe's friends.

Many people wept as DeVoe's flag-draped coffin was brought out of the church. Police and members of the Patriot Guard stood by to escort DeVoe's coffin to a private burial at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Owasco. A bell rang at Auburn's Memorial City Hall in DevVoe's honor as the funeral procession passed.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Cooper, 19, of Auburn, stood outside the church with his mother, Cindy, to salute the fallen soldier. Neither one of them knew the 27-year-old DeVoe.

"But we lost a brother and I wanted to pay my respects," said Cooper, who just returned Saturday from a seven-month deployment to Iraq and is heading to Afghanistan in November.

DeVoe joined the Army last year and was planning to make a career of it, his family said.

"He loved it. He said it was the best thing that ever happened to him," said Patrick DeVoe Sr.

DeVoe was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson. He had been in Afghanistan for less than a month when he was killed.

"If it wasn't him, it would be someone else. I'm not upset about it. It's the way of life, I guess," his father said. "They're soldiers. They know what they're getting into. There's always that chance, no matter who you are."

Susan-Kealoha Capone said she was worried when her son enlisted in January 2008, but said she was proud of his decision to serve his country. Like any mother, Capone said, she feared the worst.

"I was scared to death because of something like this. But in the long run, it was his decision and I am very proud of the choice he made," Capone said.

Pat DeVoe said his son loved collecting baseball cards and enjoyed playing goalie on youth soccer teams and camping with his family as a youngster. He was working construction when he decided to enlist.

Joe DeVoe said his brother always seemed happy.

"He just had no cares in the world. You could talk to him about anything in the world," Joe said.

DeVoe spent three weeks at home on leave in December. Capone said it was the first time her son was able to spend time with his 16-month-old daughter. He cherished the opportunity and doted on her.

Capone said when her son left, she promised him to show his daughter pictures of her father to keep his memory alive. She plans to follow through on that promise.

"When she gets older, she'll know. She'll know what kind of dad, what kind of person he was. She'll know all about him," Capone said.