NO. R-91. HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION IN MEMORY OF
LANCE CPL. KURT EDWARD DECHEN OF SPRINGFIELD.
(H.C.R.55)
Offered by: Representatives Emmons of Springfield, Martin of Springfield,
Acinapura of Brandon, Adams of Hartland, Ainsworth of Royalton, Allard of
St. Albans Town, Ancel of Calais, Andrews of Rutland City, Aswad of
Burlington, Atkins of Winooski, Audette of S. Burlington, Baker of West
Rutland, Barnard of Richmond, Bissonnette of Winooski, Bostic of St.
Johnsbury, Botzow of Pownal, Branagan of Georgia, Bray of New Haven,
Brennan of Colchester, Brooks of Montpelier, Browning of Arlington,
Canfield of Fair Haven, Chen of Mendon, Cheney of Norwich, Clark of St.
Johnsbury, Clark of Vergennes, Clarkson of Woodstock, Clerkin of Hartford,
Condon of Colchester, Consejo of Sheldon, Copeland-Hanzas of Bradford,
Corcoran of Bennington, Courcelle of Rutland City, Davis of Washington,
Deen of Westminster, Devereux of Mount Holly, Donaghy of Poultney,
Donahue of Northfield, Donovan of Burlington, Dostis of Waterbury, Edwards
of Brattleboro, Errecart of Shelburne, Evans of Essex, Fallar of Tinmouth,
Fisher of Lincoln, Fitzgerald of St. Albans City, Flory of Pittsford, Frank of
Underhill, French of Randolph, Gervais of Enosburg, Gilbert of Fairfax, Godin
of Milton, Grad of Moretown, Haas of Rochester, Head of S. Burlington,
Heath of Westford, Helm of Castleton, Hosford of Waitsfield, Howard of
Rutland City, Howrigan of Fairfield, Hube of Londonderry, Hudson of
Lyndon, Hunt of Essex, Hutchinson of Randolph, Jerman of Essex, Jewett of
Ripton, Johnson of South Hero, Johnson of Canaan, Keenan of St. Albans
City, Keogh of Burlington, Kilmartin of Newport City, Kitzmiller of
Montpelier, Klein of East Montpelier, Koch of Barre Town, Komline of
Dorset, Krawczyk of Bennington, Kupersmith of S. Burlington, Larocque of
Barnet, Larrabee of Danville, Larson of Burlington, LaVoie of Swanton,
Lawrence of Lyndon, Lenes of Shelburne, Leriche of Hardwick, Lippert of
Hinesburg, Livingston of Manchester, Lorber of Burlington, Maier of
Middlebury, Malcolm of Pawlet, Manwaring of Wilmington, Marcotte of
Coventry, Marek of Newfane, Martin of Wolcott, Masland of Thetford,
McAllister of Highgate, McCormack of Rutland City, McCullough of
Williston, McDonald of Berlin, McFaun of Barre Town, Milkey of
Brattleboro, Miller of Shaftsbury, Minter of Waterbury, Mitchell of Barnard,
Monti of Barre City, Mook of Bennington, Moran of Wardsboro, Morley of
Barton, Morrissey of Bennington, Mrowicki of Putney, Myers of Essex, Nease
of Johnson, Nuovo of Middlebury, Obuchowski of Rockingham, O'Donnell of
Vernon, Ojibway of Hartford, Orr of Charlotte, Otterman of Topsham, Oxholm
of Vergennes, Partridge of Windham, Pearson of Burlington, Peaslee of
Guildhall, Pellett of Chester, Peltz of Woodbury, Perry of Richford, Peterson
of Williston, Pillsbury of Brattleboro, Potter of Clarendon, Pugh of S.
Burlington, Randall of Troy, Rodgers of Glover, Scheuermann of Stowe,
Shand of Weathersfield, Sharpe of Bristol, Shaw of Derby, Smith of
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NO. R-91
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Morristown, Spengler of Colchester, Stevens of Shoreham, Sunderland of
Rutland Town, Sweaney of Windsor, Symington of Jericho, Trombley of
Grand Isle, Turner of Milton, Valliere of Barre City, Westman of Cambridge,
Weston of Burlington, Wheeler of Derby, Winters of Williamstown, Wright of
Burlington, Zenie of Colchester and Zuckerman of Burlington
Offered by: Senators Campbell, McCormack, Nitka, Ayer, Bartlett, Carris,
Collins, Condos, Coppenrath, Cummings, Doyle, Flanagan, Giard, Hartwell,
Illuzzi, Kitchel, Kittell, Lyons, MacDonald, Maynard, Mazza, Miller, Mullin,
Racine, Scott, Sears, Shumlin, Snelling, Starr and White
Whereas, Marine Lance Cpl. Kurt Dechen of Springfield served his country
with pride and dedication, and
Whereas, he graduated from Springfield High School in 2001, and
Whereas, following his high school graduation, Kurt Duchen enrolled at
Castleton State College where he studied criminal justice, and
Whereas, Kurt Duchen’s career goal was to serve the public as a police
officer, and
Whereas, in 2003, his commitment to public service prompted him to enlist
in the United States Marine Corps, and he was most recently assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, and
Whereas, in March 2005, Lance Cpl. Kurt Dechen was deployed to Iraq as a
member of Regimental Combat Team 5, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Pendelton, California, and
Whereas, on Thursday, August 3, 2006, his 24th birthday, Lance Cpl. Kurt
Dechen was shot when enemy gunfire hit him in the course of a patrol in the
Iraqi city of Fallujah, and
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NO. R-91
Page 3
Whereas, sadly, he died from his wounds after being transported to a nearby
military hospital, and
Whereas, although Lance Cpl. Kurt Dechen missed his native Vermont and
was looking forward to his scheduled return from Iraq in October 2006, he was
proud to be serving his country and of his role as a United States Marine, and
Whereas, when not pursuing college studies or performing his military
duties, he loved to be outdoors and was an avid snowmobiler and hunter, and
he was a member of the Rod and Club in Perkinsville, and
Whereas, Kurt Dechen was a man with an infectious smile, a love of
country music, and a loyal circle of friends, and
Whereas, he was a parishioner of the First Congregational Church of
Springfield, and
Whereas, Kurt Dechen played a fundamental role in the lives of his
surviving family members, including his parents, Richard and Dale Dechen,
his brother, Justin, his maternal grandmother, Virginia H. Freeman, and in that
of his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Knight, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly extends its profound condolences to the family
of Lance Cpl. Kurt Edward Duchen of Springfield, and be it further
Resolved: That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this
resolution to Richard and Dale Dechen in Springfield and Virginia H. Freeman
in Chester.
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