Community mourns Marine

[Paul G]

Community mourns Marine
By SCOOBY AXSON World Staff Writer
5/18/2006


OVERBROOK -- Throughout Love County, flags are flying at half-staff in honor of a Marine who died in Iraq this week.

Residents of Overbrook and nearby Marietta in south-central Oklahoma are honoring one of their own, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby, who died Sunday.

Yearby, 21, of Overbrook, became the 41st Oklahoman to die in Iraq, according to the Associated Press.

His unit was in the Al-Anbar province of Iraq while "conducting combat operations against enemy forces," according to the Pentagon. His family was told by the military that his Humvee struck a land mine.

Located six miles south of Ardmore on U.S. 77, Overbrook has few houses, a couple of farms, a post office, a convenience store and not much else. For recreation, there is Lake Murray, which is about five miles east.

Overbrook is not listed by the U.S. Census Bureau because it is not incorporated, but the population is estimated at 200 to 300.

"It's just a down-home country town and community," said Chris Hall, Yearby's brother-in-law. "There really isn't much to it."

Yearby's family is well-known in the powwow dancing competition circuit, traveling around the world and gathering awards while saluting their Creek and Choctaw tribal heritage among American Indians. Yearby took second place in men's northern traditional dance at a powwow competition in Arkansas in September 2003.

Users of Web sites like Powwows.com have been posting messages about Yearby from across the country, expressing their gratitude and sorrow for a fellow American Indian.

His wife, Lindsey, whom he married in February, posted a message to him on his myspace.com site on May 11, three days before he died.

"Hey baby . . . can you believe that we have been married for 3 months and 1 day. I am so happy you are in my life . . . I can't wait for you to come!!! I love you hubby!!!"

A 2003 graduate of nearby Marietta High School, Yearby was remembered as a quiet individual who was well-behaved and never stood out.

"He never came into my office because of discipline problems. You could say he wasn't all that outgoing, but what I do remember most was his long hair," said assistant principal Pam Anderson, who has been at Marietta High School for 12 years. Anderson said the mood of the school was solemn since news of Yearby's death on Monday.

"We are all just devastated," she said. "He had his whole life ahead of him."

Yearby joined the Marines in May 2005. After training he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, in October 2005, as a warehouse clerk.

He was deployed to the Middle East in March.

Yearby's awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He is also being recommended for a Purple Heart. ''

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