Army Staff Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr. funeral: Community mourns fallen U.S. soldier

Joliet mourns fallen Army Staff Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr. at funeral

The Joliet community honored Army Staff Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr. with a funeral service Friday morning at Word of Life Church in Crest Hill.

CREST HILL, Ill. - People gathered Friday morning to say a final goodbye to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr., a local soldier who died during a mission in Lithuania last month.

The backstory:

Dueñez, 25, was one of four American soldiers killed on March 25 while conducting a recovery operation involving an M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle. The vehicle was later found submerged in a peat bog near Pabradė, Lithuania. Dueñez was assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The funeral service took place at 11 a.m. at Word of Life Church, 1500 Cedarwood Drive in Crest Hill.

The service follows an emotional return earlier this week, when Dueñez’s flag-draped casket arrived at Lewis University Airport in Romeoville and was escorted by a police-led procession to Tezak’s Funeral Home in Joliet.

Army Staff Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr. | Provided

Loved ones and community members lined the streets, many waving American flags and holding signs, as the procession passed. Dueñez, remembered as a dedicated soldier and quiet leader, served in the Army for more than seven years and was previously deployed to Poland and Germany. He leaves behind a wife, a 1-year-old son, his parents, and five siblings.

"As both a leader and a Soldier, he set an example every day—always the first to arrive and the last to leave, greeting every challenge with a smile and a readiness to support anyone who required assistance," said Capt. Madyson K. Wellens, Diesel Forward Support Troop commander, 5th Sqn., 7th Cav. Regt. "He was the definition of a silent professional."

Duenez, a Joliet native, would have celebrated his 26th birthday on April 8.