Sgt. Jonathan Ry Pemp, 25

Sgt. Jonathan Ry Pemp, 25, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes Sunday, April 25, 2009, at his home in Naples, Idaho.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 2, 2009, at Becker Auditorium at Bonners Ferry High School.  After the military service, a celebration of his life will be held at the family home in Paradise Valley, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Jonathan was born in Bonners Ferry on Oct. 17, 1983, to Joseph and LaTresa Pemp. He was raised with his older brother, Colin, in Moyie Springs, Idaho, and on Parker Canyon Road in the Cabinets, mountains that made a strong imprint on him.

In his youth he participated in 4-H and he played baseball, but the mountains — fishing, camping, 4-wheeling, climbing, hiking, and hunting — were his passion, and he had many lively stories to tell about his outdoor adventures.

Jonathan attended Bonners Ferry schools and, at age 17, joined the Idaho Army National Guard, attending basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He returned home for his senior year of high school and then returned to Missouri for engineer training.

While a member of the 116th Cavalry (Engineers), Jonathan volunteered for active duty immediately following 9/11 to serve a two-year Homeland Security tour. He was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base as part of their security forces and was trained as a sniper.

In the fall of 2004, he volunteered to deploy to Iraq for his first tour with his original Bonners Ferry group. During this one-year tour, Jonathan was wounded in action twice and earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

A body-builder and runner, Jonathan came home to work as a personal trainer at Mike’s Gym in Bonners Ferry and then volunteered for a second mission in Iraq. After his second tour of duty, he was stationed at Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas, to recover from injuries related to his service.

Besides the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, he received numerous awards and commendations including the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for courage under enemy fire, and Soldier of the Quarter. He was extremely proud to serve his country and to have made many friends while in service.

He returned home to Bonners Ferry in 2008 to hunt and fish and to spend time with his fiancée, Geneis Erickson, whom he hoped to marry after a third tour in Iraq.

He will be remembered for his ability to light up a room with his fun-loving nature, infectious laugh, for his generosity, and wonderful smile. Raised in a home where music was always playing, Jonathan loved to dance. He was “king of the barbecue” and could smoke a mean fish. Jonathan loved life.

Survivors are his parents; his brother, Colin, of Sousho, China; his fiancée, Geneis Erickson of Troy, Mont.; his grandmother, Elaine Murray of Colorado Springs, Colo.; his grandfather and wife, Donald and Bobby Pemp of Bonners Ferry; his aunts and uncles, Susan and Stephen Drinkard of Sandpoint, Idaho; Sherry Murray of Colorado Springs, Bruce Murray of Douglas, Wyo., Barbara Pemp of Tucson, Ariz, Robert and Brenda Pemp of Great Falls, Mont., and Brenda Garrett of Bonners Ferry; and six cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Joyce Pemp; his grandfather, Don Murray; and his uncle, Don Pemp.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at 7020 AC Skinner Pkwy, Suite 100, Jacksonville, Fla. 32256.