Leominster Comes Together To Honor Fallen Marine Captain Ross Reynolds At Funeral
LEOMINSTER (CBS) – Friends and family paid their final respects to a fallen Marine from Leominster Tuesday.
A funeral Mass was held for Marine Captain Ross Reynolds at St. Cecilia's Church on Mechanic Street. A horse-drawn carriage carried the casket in a procession from city hall, where the wake was held Monday, to the church for the service.
Reynolds was one of four Marines killed when their aircraft crashed during a NATO drill in Norway on March 18. He was an Osprey pilot and had joined the Marine Corps in May 2017.
Reynolds was 27 years old and leaves behind a wife. They were married in February.
"My heart goes out to Lana I can't even imagine being in her position," said childhood friend Tiffany Thibodeau. "The flag meant a lot to him and the country meant a lot to him."
"We're a really tight knit community, I'm getting emotional," said Leominster resident John Bulger, one of several people who came out to pay tribute Tuesday. "When you lose someone from the community that's when you need to show your support, come together."
"Just wanted to support the family. I think about how I would feel," resident Hannah Burchell told WBZ-TV.
"To have someone from our own community that would die at such a young age so suddenly, so unexpected. Our heart just went out to his family," said resident Ardith McDonald. "Love to come together in happy times and in sad times and I'm so thankful we were able to extend our sympathies as we did on this occasion."
"Super sad, but it's amazing to see everybody come together for this family and support the family," said resident Christina St. Onge.
Gov. Charlie Baker attended the funeral service as well.
A private burial was held after the funeral at the Massachusetts Memorial Veterans' Cemetery in Winchendon.