Spc. Frank L. Cady III was, in the words of his mother, a veritable "kid genius." Since he was young, she felt certain that the boy who'd started reading at 3 would one day become a formidable attorney.

But Cady had other dreams. After he graduated from the Visions In Education charter high school in 2005, the Sacramento native enlisted in the Army.

Last Wednesday Cady, 20, died of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover in Baghdad, according to a statement released Monday by the Department of Defense

Friends and family members remember Cady as a talkative young man who'd do anything for a laugh – and who fervently desired to serve his country.

"My son died living his dream," said his mother, Billie-Jo Hull, 35. "How many people could say that, if they died today, they would be living their dream?"

Hull said her son started reading story books at 3, dictionaries and encyclopedias at 4 and law books at 6. She would tell him he was going to grow up to practice criminal law. He made the honor roll at John D. Sloat Elementary School, and received an academic achievement award signed by President Clinton.

In middle school, Hull worried that her strong-willed son – whom she described as "a force of nature" – was getting bored with curriculum that was too easy for him. She opted to homeschool him full time through Visions. By ninth grade he was testing above 12th-grade level, she said. At age 15, along with his studies, he started working full time in construction.

Cady always retained a passion for reading – he especially enjoyed fantasy and the suspense novels of Dean Koontz and Stephen King. But, early on, he also developed a passion for the military.

His cousin, Lenard Cady Jr., 26, said that during the first Persian Gulf War, Hull explained to her small son what war was, and the little boy told her he wanted to be a soldier some day.

By age 14, Lenard Cady said, his younger cousin had become adamant about his plans.

"He said 'Cuz, I don't know if it will make a change or not, but I know I'm willing to die to try,'" his cousin recalled.

His mother said the Sept. 11 attacks further cemented those goals.

Cady enlisted in the Army immediately after he graduated from Visions in 2005 – though he waited until the day after his mother's birthday in August before heading off to boot camp.

He was assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division based in Fort Riley, Kan., and worked as a chemical operations specialist.

Although he was serious about his sense of duty – and was well aware of the danger he was in – friends and family members also remember Cady as a jokester who rarely stopped talking.

"Oh God," recalled his friend Camille Crowninshield, 20, laughing. "He would not shut up. He would speak a million words a minute, no joke."

Cady enjoyed playing pool and going out clubbing. He had photographs of himself taken with waitresses at his favorite restaurant – Hooters.

"He was a young man," his mother explained. "A pretty girl turned his head."

He loved swimming and camping, and especially enjoyed playing no pads, no helmets, no-holds-barred football with his large family. His favorite team, hands down, was the Dallas Cowboys.

The Sunday before he died, Frank Cady talked with his cousin, Lenard, for what would be the last time. The two had an ongoing bet, and Spc. Cady heckled his older cousin – a Kansas City Chiefs fan – that the Cowboys would win more games.

"He called to tell me I might as well put the money in his account 'cause I'd lost," Lenard Cady said.

Frank Cady's MySpace page is covered with Cowboys photos. In the upper left-hand corner, there's a quote: "Scars heal, glory fades, life is short so go on and live it."

Most of the rest of the page is filled with dozens of messages. Over and over, friends and family have posted variations on the same theme:

"Rest in peace man ... you were a good person, and i'll miss ya."

Born: June 10, 1987

Died: Oct. 10, 2007

Remembered for: His loyalty to his country, his ability to win any argument, his sense of humor.

Survived by: Mother, Billie-Jo Hull; stepfather John Hull; eight siblings and half-siblings - Tosha Lewis, Savannah Lewis, Aron Daniel, Chelsea Lewis, Kaelum Scobee, Dakota Lewis, Don Hull and Rose Hull, all of Sacramento.

Funeral services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes, 4701 Marysville Blvd., Sacramento.