PORT ANGELES — Friends, family and fellow service members shared stories of laughter, love and loyalty at Joshua Dae Ho Carrell’s funeral on Tuesday.
More than 250 mourners paid their respects to the 23-year-old Navy Seabee from Port Angeles who died of complications of malaria Dec. 26 in Germany.
Mr. Carrell, a petty officer third class with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, received full military honors with the upturned rifle and helmet, a 21-gun salute, the playing of taps and the presentation of a folded American flag to his mother, Rhonda Carrell of Port Angeles.
His older brother, Jason Carrell of Puyallup, opened a eulogy during the funeral at Independent Bible Church in Port Angeles.
‘An amazing guy’
“We choose to remember the good times,” Jason Carrell said.
“Josh, as you will see on some of the pictures: He had an amazing smile. He was an amazing guy to a lot of friends who are here.
“I choose to remember those good times. He loved his family.”
Matt Sinnes shared humorous anecdotes about his brother-in-law, like when he applied sun bronze thinking it was sun screen and got burned.
“Like Jason said, those are some memories I choose to remember,” Sinnes said, amid tears.
“I encourage all of you to remember his smile, to remember those big bear hugs, to live, to love and to laugh. He will be missed and never forgotten.”
Mr. Carrell’s love for his country — and willingness to back it up with his actions — was a central theme of the service.
The song “Proud to an American” was played twice, once on guitar and once during a video featuring family photographs.
After graduating from Port Angeles High School in 2005, Mr. Carrell enlisted in the Navy in 2006.
He served a tour in Iraq in 2008, where he helped build railroad stations and bunkers.
Mr. Carrell deployed to Liberia last year. He was building a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, when he caught the mosquito-borne disease.
Commander Pat Garin, commanding officer of Mobile Construction Battalion 3, spoke at Tuesday’s service. He described a memorial for Petty Officer Carrell Dec. 29 at Naval Station Rota in Spain.
“Three-hundred fifty-five of his best friends showed up, and it was very, very moving,” said Garin, one of several Naval officers who stood by Rhonda Carrell’s side when her son was ill.
“He was very well loved. … He was very blessed.”
Garin read a letter out loud that Vice Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Navy 6th Fleet, wrote to Rhonda Carrell.
‘Drive and love for country’
“His incredible drive and love for his country had no equal,” Harris wrote in the letter.
“Well-liked and respected by all, he embodied the American dream that you and your late husband gave him at such a young age.”
Born in Pusan, Korea, Mr. Carrell was adopted by his late father, Dean Carrell, from a foster home when he was about 14 months old.
Mr. Carrell’s biological parents were college students who decided not to get married.
Mr. Carrell became a U.S. citizen when he was 16. He followed his father’s footsteps to the Navy.
Dean Carrell was an F-4 Naval aviator who died when his adopted son was 3.
Rhonda Carrell said her son was her “gift from God,” who helped the family cope with the loss of her husband.
“Take comfort in the fact that Josh’s critical work in Africa will bring hope to so many that would otherwise be lost,” Vice Admiral Harris wrote in his letter.
“He was a Seabee to the core, and his can-do attitude will inspire others to continue what he started.”
Athletic
Growing up in Port Angeles, Mr. Carrell lived an active lifestyle and enjoyed being in the outdoors, especially at Lake Sutherland.
He fished and snowboarded, and relished the time he spent tubing and jet skiing with his family at the Clallam County lake.
In high school, Mr. Carrell took an interest in sports. He played offensive tackle for the Port Angeles High School football team and wore No. 61.
He was also the team manager for the Roughrider boys’ basketball team when his godfather, Lee Sinnes of Port Angeles, was the head coach.
While stationed in Southern California, Petty Officer Carrell loved to ride his motorcycle in the Malibu canyons with his friends on Sundays.
After the 90-minute service at the church, more than 100 vehicles poured onto the Port Angeles streets for the four-mile procession to Mount Angeles Memorial Park.
The hearse was followed by family and members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of military veteran motorcyclists who held U.S. flags during the services.
After Pastor Mike Jones read from the Bible and led the mourners in prayer, a seven-member rifle detail from the Naval Base Kitsap Honor Guard performed a 21-gun salute.
Members of Mr. Carrell’s family and Seabee unit were the pallbearers.
On Saturday, a procession of Patriot Guard Riders escorted a hearse carrying Mr. Carrell’s flag-draped coffin from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Harper-Ridgeview Funeral Chapel in Port Angeles.
Mr. Carrell had Falciparum malaria, which is considered to be the most dangerous form of a disease that kills more than one million every year.
In addition to his mother and brother, Jason — who is married to Shari Carell,with children Jake and Drew — Mr. Carrell is survived by his sister, Shelley Carrell, of Torrance, Calif., (Jeff, Ryan, Jackie and Justin; his grandfather, Hal Landry (Char) of Port Angeles; his grandparents, Bub and Alice Olsen of Port Angeles; and his godparents, Lee and Sandy Sinnes of Port Angeles; and a large extended family.
His family said that donations in his name can be made to Child Alive, an organization devoted to preventing malaria, at www.childalive.com/helping_out.aspx, or to Kitsap Bank, 716 E. Front St., Port Angeles.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
