Cpl. Keaton G. Coffey, 22, of Boring, Oregon, was his parents' only child. Grant and Inger Coffey were in the process of helping their son prepare for his July wedding to Brittany Dygert. Now they are preparing for Keaton's funeral, according to The Oregonian.
The Department of Defense announced this weekend that Cpl. Coffey died May 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, 1st Marine Headquarters Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.
Coffey was "every parent's dream," according to Tim Oakley, Coffey's principal when he attended Damascus Christian School. Bob Dennis described Coffey to The Oregonian this way:
"He had an attitude and a heart of service. He put himself out for other people."
In fact, Coffey had plans to become a firefighter, just like his father, after he left the Marine Corps.