Soldier's Funeral Draws Hundreds to Downtown Simpsonville

Thousands gathered in Simpsonville on Saturday. 

Lining the streets with American flags and posters with patriotic messages, they stood for hours to honor the memory of a fallen soldier.

Many didn’t know Army medic PFC Justin Whitmire, 20, who had graduated from Hillcrest High School in Simpsonville in 2010. 

They hadn’t seen his smile that could light up a room and they didn’t know of his love of fishing or for Clemson, but still they came.

But it didn’t matter that Whitmire wasn’t a close personal friend of the hundreds who formed a human shield around Simpsonville First Baptist Church, after the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.

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Deanah Moon and her granddaughter, Brittany Kelly, both of Laurens, stood on Hedge Street across from Simpsonville First Baptist holding handwritten signs that read, “Thank you soldiers for your sacrifice. God loves you” and “God Loves Humanity, but NOT SIN.”

Moon said she didn’t know the Whitmire family, but hearing that their son’s funeral may draw protestors for Westboro Baptist Church, she wanted to be there to support the family. 

“My husband served,” Moon said. “Many members of my family have served, and no soldier deserves the type of disrespectful behavior for which Westboro is known.”

Charity Childress of Easley came with Freedom Biker Church, a church that her parents attend, to support the Whitmire family. Childress’ children, Fiona and Brianna, stood holding a large American flag near the entrance where the family would enter the parking lot. 

“I’m here because I heard Westboro was going to show up,” Childress said. “No family should have to deal with them on a day when they are burying their child.”

No one saw them, no one heard them and if Westboro protestors were there, they were silently watching from afar. Calls to the church office this afternoon went unanswered.

Solemnly, members of the Patriot Guard Riders, personnel from each military branch, Boy Scouts, firefighters, police officers and community members stood for hours before the service, and even after, to recognize the service of this young man. 

Cheers and applause greeted the Patriot Guard that provided the funeral escort, but again the crowd fell silent as three family cars arrived. 

Jessi Whitmire, Justin Whitmire’s sister, sang Tim McGraw’s, “If You’re Reading This,” a song that talks about the death of a soldier, as she choked back her own emotions.

Craig Whitmire, Whitmire’s brother, told the crowd gathered inside the church: “If anyone’s going to rob anywhere in Simpsonville, now’s the time to do it. Nobody’s home. “

His remarks were lighthearted as he remembered his brother and his best friend growing up. 

Many of the people who spoke during the 75-minute service spoke of his love of family and how he wrote them letters and said he was only worried, when he thought about them worrying about him.

Every speaker mentioned his love of his church and how he often asked his family to say, “hello,” to the church family. His only worry was that his dad, Donnie, wasn’t taking care of his beloved “Firebird,” because the car was “sensitive.”

Pastor Stephen Morton talked about how Justin Whitmire had told his son to go out buy his father a Clemson T-shirt for Christmas, part of an ongoing debate the soldier had with the youth pastor about whose team was better.

Morton pulled out a round Clemson Tiger paw sticker from his jacket and placed it on his lapel and said, “Justin, this is for you.” 

Family members and his pastors said Justin Whitmire became a medic because he wanted to help people.

Pastor Terry Rogers, who leads Faith Renewed Outreach Church in Mauldin where the Whitmires attend church, said he learned from talking to officers who came to assist the family that every soldier carries a certain pack of medical supplies, but medics carry 15 pounds more to help others. 

“Yep, that’s Justin,” Rogers said. “His heart was as big as his smile.”

Rogers talked about how much of Justin Whitmire that he saw in his own son Adam’s life, because Whitmire had been such a role model to his son.

Rogers talked about Justin Whitmire’s faith and his favorite hobby, as he shared Matthew 4:19. 

“Justin is probably up in heaven fishing and would be ready to fillet and fry them when everyone gets there,” Rogers said.

The family placed a fishing rod inside the casket.

At the close of the service, Rogers talked about how Justin Whitmire had always wanted to be in the military. He asked members of the military, both past and present to stand, and 30 to 45 seconds of applause followed the request.

But while the service was still in progress, more people filled the streets of Simpsonville’s downtown.

“Heaven Needs An Army Too,” “RIP Justin Whitmire,” “Justin Whitmire Gave the Ultimate Sacrifice,” “We love you, Justin Whitmire. God Bless You.”

The line of people stretched all the way down Main Street and into Fountain Inn and to Cannon Memorial Park, a sea of red, white and blue.

Families stood with children, men, women and veterans, both old and young, lined the funeral procession’s route. 

Inside the cemetery, two Simpsonville fire trucks suspended a large American flag over the road the soldier’s body would travel. Thousands gathered inside watching as the soldier’s body passed and as bag pipes played in the distance.

Traffic was heavy, with some people waiting more than an hour just to get to the cemetery, but the service had already concluded. 

Others parked and walked more than a mile just to try to make it in time.

One thing was clear as the rain began to fall Saturday afternoon in Fountain Inn. Simpsonville’s fallen son was a hero.