Steven Frederick Sirko, Iraq War CasualtyPorter County Data on Iraq War Casualties . . . .
Steven Frederick Sirko
Private First Class, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd
Infantry Division
Date of Birth: August 11, 1984
Date of Death: April 17, 2005
Cause of Death: Died in Sleep, non-combatant fatality
Hometown: Portage
Newspaper Notices:
Local Soldier Dies in Iraq
Summer Lipford held the picture of her son and stared at his smiling face. She
clutched the picture of Pfc. Steven Sirko of Statesville, taken just before his
deployment to Iraq, and chanted "he should have made it back," hugging the
picture against her chest.
The 20-year-old U.S. Army battalion medic fell asleep three days ago and never
woke up. He may have had an aneurysm or a heart attack, Summer said. "I asked
God to please take my soul and leave Steve," Summer cried, hugging herself and
rocking. "He promised me he was going to come home .... He's gone and I don’t
know why."
The young soldier was scheduled to come home in August.
His family can't plan his funeral yet because the Army has not yet released his
body, said his sister, Bridget Gentle. Gentle and Sirko's other siblings,
Michael Godby and Laura Sirko, gathered at their parents' house on Sharpe Street
on Tuesday night. They gathered to remember their brother and to welcome his
wife, Virginia Sirko, home from Iraq, where she too was stationed. Virginia
Sirko did not want to talk about her husband on Tuesday night.
Steven Sirko's stepfather, Steven Lipford, said the young man "was over there
doing what he thought was right." "When he went into the military, he went in
knowing that is where he might go," Lipford said. "He knew he was going into
harm's way." Summer said the young soldier loved to help people. She remembers
how excited he was when he saved the lives of three Iraqis who were injured in a
car bombing. And she remembers how proud he was when an Army captain stopped him
and told him what a fine job he did in saving those lives. "He was very, very
happy in the military," Summer said. "He didn’t want his wife to know how much
he loved the military .... He was so excited about being able to help people."
The soldier met his wife while stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., Summer said.
Steven Sirko was in his early teenage years when he decided that he wanted to go
into the military, Summer said. And the family tried to talk him out of it, she
said.
"I can't believe I have most my child," she said. "How do you lose a child you
love so much?" Steven Lipford said his step-son was proud to serve.
"Army was his life," he said. "He was out there serving his country, and this is
the way it goes." Summer said her son was counting down the days until he could
come home and play with his niece and nephew. She said Steven Sirko and his
nephew, Sam Gentle, had a special bond. On Sam's third birthday, Steven Sirko
ended up playing Spider-Man when the actor Bridget hired couldn't make it. "He
ran in from the woods, jumped over the swingset and blew out his pants," Summer
said. "He had to do all his tricks without turning around."
Bridget said it has been difficult trying explain to her son why Uncle Steve
isn't coming home. "I told Sam that he had to stay in Iraq and help people,"
Bridget said. "What do you tell a 3-year-old?" Summer said her son was a hero
who constantly looked out for his family. She remembers when Steven Sirko bought
a new crib while his sister, Laura Sirko, was pregnant. "He said, 'I don’t want
my niece sleeping in junk,'" Summer said.
Steven Sirko let his brother use his car while he was stationed overseas, Summer
said. Michael didn't have a reliable car and was struggling to get to college.
"He told Michael, he said 'Keep my car while I'm in Iraq. I want you to get an
education and have a good life too,'" Summer said.
Steven Sirko was a man who loved life and loved his family, Summer said. She
often sent the couple care packages with food and toys to make their tour of
duty in Iraq more comfortable. One package contained water pistols, which his
fellow soldiers turned on him one night, Summer said. "They waited until he was
good and asleep and they attacked," Summer said. "It woke him up and he grabbed
what he could reach, which was a flyswatter and a stick. He was chasing them
down the road in flip-flops with a flyswatter and a stick."
As the memories flow, Summer wonders why her son had to die. She can't stop
staring at his photographs. "If it is so important to these politicians, why
won't they send their own children?" Summer said. These are children .... I
don’t see George W. Bush's daughters over there, and they are just as capable as
my son."
________________________________________________________________
Source: Statesville Record & Landmark, Statesville, Iredell County, North
Carolina; April 20, 2005
Obituary
Steven Frederick Sirko
PFC STEVEN FREDERICK SIRKO Age 20 years, of Statesville,
NC, passed away courageously on Sunday, April 17, 2005, while serving his
country in Iraq. He was born August 11, 1984, in Portage, Indiana, and was the
son of Rick Sirko and Summer Lipford. He attended Portage High School and was a
Combat Medic for the U.S. Army. On October 16, 2004, he was married to Virginia
Downs Sirko at Fort Benning, GA, who survives. In addition to his wife, Mr.
Sirko is survived by his parents, Steve and Summer Lipford of Statesville, NC,
Rick and Rose Sirko of Portage, IN; 2 sisters, Bridget Gentle and Laura Sirko
both of Statesville, NC; 1 brother, Michael John Godbey of Statesville, NC: 2
brothers-in-law, Michael Gentle of Statesville and Matthew Downs; 3
sisters-in-law, Jennifer Downs, Amanda Downs and Alicia Downs; 1 nephew, Samuel
Gentle of Statesville; 1 niece, Rainey Sirko Franks of Statesville; and 3
uncles, Don (Linda) McAlpine, Lee McAlpine and Sam (Janice) Lipford. A Funeral
Mass will be conducted 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 23, 2005 at St. Phillips the
Apostle Catholic Church, 525 Camden Dr., Statesville, NC with Father James Byer,
officiating. Interment with Military Honors will be held on Monday, April 25th
at 2:00 p.m. in Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville. The Rosary service will be
offered Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church.
Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family of PFC Steven Sirko.
________________________________________________________________
Source: Post-Tribune, Gary, Lake County, Indiana; April 22, 2005
Obituary
Steven Sirko
PFC Steven Frederick Sirko Statesville, NC/Portage PFC Steven Frederick Sirko,
20 of Statesville, NC, died courageously Sunday, April 17, 2005, while serving
his country in Iraq. He was born August 11, 1984 in Portage, Indiana and was the
son of Rick Sirko and Summer Lipford. He attended Portage High School and was a
Combat Medic for the U.S. Army. On October 16, 2004, he was married to Virginia
Downs Sirko at Fort Benning, GA, who survives. In addition to his wife, Mr.
Sirko is survived by his parents: Steve and Summer Lipford of Statesville, Rick
and Rose Sirko of Portage, Indiana; two sisters: Bridget Gentle of Statesville
and Laura Sirko of Statesville; one brother, Michael John Godbey of Statesville;
two brothers-in-law: Michael Gentle of Statesville and Matthew Downs; three
sisters-in-law: Jennifer Downs, Amanda Downs and Alicia Downs; one nephew,
Samuel Gentle of Statesville; one niece, Rainey Sirko Franks of Statesville; and
three uncles: Don McAlphine and wife, Linda, Lee McAlphine and Sam Lipford and
wife Janice. A funeral mass will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April
23, 2005 at St. Phillips the Apostle Catholic Church with Father James Byers
officiating. Interment with military honors will be held on Monday at 2:00 p.m.
in Oakwood Cemetery. The rosary will be offered Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. at
St. Phillip the Apostle Catholic Church. Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the
family of PFC Steven Sirko.
________________________________________________________________
Source: The Times, Munster, Lake County, Indiana; April 22, 2005
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List of
Porter County Iraq War Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook