Obituaries
Community Salutes Fallen Marine From East Bay
A touching farewell on his escort home to Tracy was paid to LCpl. Lenin Priego Zurita, 20, who passed away last month.
PLEASANTON, CA – Members of the Pleasanton Police Department, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department and Dublin Police Services, plus several local residents, gathered Thursday on an I-580 overpass to pay collective respects to LCpl. Lenin Priego Zurita, a young Marine from Tracy who died while stationed at the Pentagon.
Priego, 20, was escorted by a motorcade, which included his brother, also a Marine, to his hometown.
"Thank you LCpl. for your service. Semper Fi," Pleasanton officers wrote on Facebook.
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Priego joined the Marine Corps in July 2015, and his military awards included five certificates of appreciation, a letter of appreciation, the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Brian Block said in an interview with The Marine Times.
Priego was found July 30 dead in his barracks. A GoFundMe fundraiser was coordinated to aid his family with unforeseen funeral expenses. A portion of the funds will be donated on behalf of the Marine to military moms of Tracy, according to organizers.
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To date, the effort has raised $6,545 toward its $10,000 goal. Details here.
Priego, a 2015 graduate of West High School, will be honored from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 13 at Fry Memorial Chapel, 550 S. Central Ave. in Tracy, with a rosary at 6 p.m. Services will begin at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 14 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 163 W. Eaton Ave. The funeral party will be escorted to Veterans Park, 238 Glenhaven Drive, in south Tracy, for a ceremony with full military honors, and a reception to follow.
On the "Funds for Lenins family" GoFundMe site, his family wrote: “Lenin’s dream was to be a United States Marine. ... The personal touch, the phone calls received, the efforts performed behind the scenes to assist the family have been utterly wonderful.
"The Marines Corp with their care and support for our family has gone well beyond any measure we could have hoped for. From our family to all, we thank you for your well wishes, your tears and kind words. We are proud of our son. He will be forever known as a United States Marine.”
--Images via PPD and Honoring Fallen Marines on Facebook
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