County soldier killed in Iraq

Sean Stokes, a U.S. Marine corporal from Lake of the Pines, was killed in recent action in Iraq, the Friends of Nevada County Military confirmed Monday.

Stokes, a 2001 graduate of Bear River High School, was on his third tour in Iraq.

He is the fourth Nevada County resident who has died in the war in Iraq.

“Sean was just a fun-loving boy who enjoyed life,” said Alexander Croft, Stokes’ teacher at Magnolia Intermediate School. “He was a nice kid who loved every project we did and just had a hunger for life.”

Other teachers also remembered Stokes with fondness.

“Sean was a real straightforward, honest kind of guy,” said Carl Koring, a former teacher of his at Bear River High School. “He was very serious and always wanted to do the right thing. He was quiet and retrospective. I respected him for his honesty and the way he took responsibility for himself.

“Sean was very serious about being a Marine. I’m sure he felt he was doing the right thing,” Koring added.

Koring was Stokes’ English teacher in his sophomore year. He was also Stokes’ counselor in his senior year.

Stokes was the first soldier the Friends welcomed home at the airport when they first started the program, said Fred Buhler of Friends of Nevada County Military.

“The community is saddened to hear about Sean’s death,” Buhler said.

Family members declined to comment on Stokes’ death. But his teachers remembered Stokes with fondness.

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To contact Soumitro Sen, e-mail soumitros@theunion.com or call 477-4229.