Guy Richard Barattieri, Jr.
June 21, 1970 - October 4, 2006
Obituary
In Memory of Our Brother Guy Barattieri…
from his sisters Gina, Becky and Nicole
I’m sure most of you are familiar with how Guy was as a soldier but we would like to introduce you to how he was as a brother…
Gina…
When I was 9 years old and Guy was 11 and my sisters Nicole and Becky were very young, I was playing up at my grade school parking lot with a friend. A bully at my school proceeded to push and tease me. I went home crying. When Guy heard what had happened he put on his coat and marched up the street to the school parking lot. With My sisters and I right up behind him. Guy found the bully, grabbed him by the shirt and proceeded to give him a good tongue lashing. I don’t know exactly what Guy said to him but what I do know is at that moment my brother became my hero.
Becky…
I had such admiration for Guy. He could get me to do anything. Sometimes it was good, like teaching me how to drive and sometimes it was bad, like kissing his toe for a Starburst. Either way it didn’t matter to me, just being with him was enough.
Nicole…
When I think of Guy I think of an oxymoron. He is the only person that would have a book titled “The Masters of Chaos” next to “The Gentleman’s’ Guide to Grooming and Style” on the same bookshelf. Only Guy could terrorize me at night saying he was shooting evil elves in the window and then turn around and allow me to crawl into bed with him to cuddle. He was mischievous and your typical older brother but also gentle and loving.
Gina, Becky and Nicole…
Guy never thought twice about protecting his sisters. Nor did he think twice about teasing them. But either way my mom instilled in us that we are a family, and families stick together. We were always reminded to look out for each other. And he did just that.
As much as Guy would have liked to have had a brother. He handled it well growing up with sisters. He allowed Gina to play army with him and his friends, he tolerated Becky wanting to use his shirt as a big blankie, and he would put aside his machoness so that Nicole could cuddle with him when she needed to. It’s afar cry from the tough militant soldier you all know. But that is the point. It didn’t matter to him what people thought. He led and did as he wanted to do. He could be a strong decisive leader or he could be a gentle loving brother, father and husband. He could do either and loved being both. Guy defined himself by his own terms and that is what we most admire about him.
We never doubted him becoming a soldier. That was clear from day one. We were more amazed by his big heart and the satisfaction he had in being a husband and a father. It is a wonderful thing to see your big brother that happy and that complete. His heart had finally landed.
Before Guy left on this last mission he asked us to check up on Laurel and the girls. He wanted us to look out for them while he was gone. It is a promise we all intend to keep. When you lose your brother you lose a part of yourself. That’s what hurts so much.
But in true form of my brother he didn’t leave us empty handed and alone he left us Laurel, Rees and Odessa. He divided our sorrow by surrounding us with all of his friends.
We can feel him working through each of you with every story and every hug and it doesn’t matter how long we knew him, we’re all just better from having known him.
Someone once said that in times of tragedy you have to pick up the pieces one by one, person by person. And know that family is not something that is defined by blood but instead by love.
We know our brother died so that others could live. He died for what he believed in. And lets just say heaven has its hands full now.
He is our confidant,
He is our friend,
He is our brother,
He is our hero.
Please visit www.purcellmarian.org and www.armyrfc.com/fallen-brother-guy.htm#bearfund for more tributes.
Words can’t explain how sorry I am for Bear’s family’s loss.
As many have said, everyone who met him instantly became friends with Bear, including myself. For me he was a friend, a hero, and a roll model. Being a neighbor and a friend to him for the years that I was means more than I can say.
My thoughts will be with Bear and his family for the rest of my life.
Cheers to my brother of sorts and a true hero.
It is such a loss to the world without Bear here anymore. My thoughts and prayers are also with the family. He will be missed so much by everyone that was graced with his presence at one time or another. Rest in peace, Bear.