John W. Oxendine

Staff Sgt. John Wesley Oxendine, husband of Latonya Brown Oxendine, died Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, at his residence in Columbia.

Born in Florence, he was the youngest of three children born to Laval and Mary Alice Billups Oxendine. He was a graduate of Georgetown High School Class of 1997. After graduation, he attended Savannah State College, Savannah, Ga. In 1999, he enlisted in the United States Army. He completed basic training at Fort Jackson. He became a parachute rigger while stationed at Fort Lee in Virginia and began his first tour of duty at Fort Bragg, N.C. His 12-year military career provided many opportunities and global exposure. He was stationed in Korea; served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad; fought in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan; and completed a tour of duty in Italy prior to returning in 2010 to Fort Jackson. His military honors were numerous and included a Meritorius Service Medal; six Army Commendation Medals: Army Achievement Medal, Army Combat Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Action Overseas Badge of Honor, Airborne Qualified, Jump Master and Warriors Leadership Course. While stationed in Italy, he became a member of the Prince Hall Affiliated Free and Accepted Masons and a Shriner.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Mary Oxendine Harvin and maternal grandparents, Wesley and Louise Billups.

Surviving are his wife, Latonya Brown Oxendine; their two sons, Isaiah Laval Oxendine and Jeremiah Jachin Oxendine, all of Columbia; his parents, Laval and Mary Alice Oxendine of Wedgefield; his sisters, Valencia Oxendine-Rose and her husband, Victor "Lance" Rose, and their daughter, Kiaja Rose of Florence, and Aldrith Oxendine Baker and her husband, Randy Baker, of Falls Church, Va.; and other relatives.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Orangehill AME Church, 3035 S. Kings Highway, S.C. 261, Wedgefield, with the pastor, the Rev. Lemuel Washington, presiding, and the Rev. Larry D. Clark, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Wedgefield, eulogist. Interment will follow at Bethel Church Cemetery, Wedgefield.

Staff Sgt. Oxendine will be placed in the church on Saturday for public viewing from noon until the hour of service.

The public may also view at Palmer Memorial Chapel, 304 S. Main St., Sumter, from 1 to 8 p.m. today.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the John Wesley Oxendine Heart Fund, c/o the American Heart Association, Mid-Atlantic Region, 4217 Heart Place, Glen Allen, VA 23060, or web address of www.Heart.org.

The funeral procession will depart from his parent's residence, 855 Autumn Run, Wedgefield, 29168 by 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Online memorials may be made to palmermemorialchapel.com.

Palmer Memorial Chapel of Sumter is in charge of funeral arrangements.