Lorne E. Henry Jr

Friday, March 02 2007 @ 05:03 AM EST

Buffalo News --NIAGARA FALLS - The chair where Lorne E. Henry Jr. used to sit in science class at Niagara Falls High School was upside-down on the desk Wednesday.

In the art class, a sketch he did of a classmate was taped on the blackboard next to a photo of Henry, as students bowed their heads in silence.

Henry, 21, an Army specialist based at Fort Drum, died in Iraq on Tuesday morning when the truck he was driving was hit by an explosion.

Henry is the second soldier from Niagara Falls to be killed in Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Aram J. Bass, a football and basketball player at Niagara Catholic High School, died during a battle last Nov. 23.

Henry is the 28th soldier from Western New York to die in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Lorne was a very quiet and respectful student who was dedicated to his studies," said Mark Laurrie, the high school's chief educational administrator.

Laurrie said he received many e-mails Wednesday from staff and faculty at the high school, expressing shock and sadness.

Henry's mother, Wendy Kovac, and his stepfather, Charles Primerano, who live on Lindbergh Avenue in the city's south end, were not emotionally ready Wednesday to talk to reporters, said the Rev. Stewart M. Lindsay, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Henry was an altar server at the church, and his parents and 11-year-old brother attend services there. Henry has two other brothers. The family didn't want to release any further details at this time, Lindsay said.

"This is always a difficult time, and they're just trying to get through it," he said.

Henry was home on leave two weeks ago and attended a church service, Lindsay added. The young soldier was dating his high school sweetheart and was planning to leave the Army in August.

Wednesday, Niagara Falls Mayor Vince Anello instructed all city buildings to fly flags at half-staff.

"This is really close to home," Anello said. "Our condolences go out to the family."

Each class at Niagara Falls High School began Wednesday morning with a moment of silence in honor of the 2003 graduate. Flags at the school are at half-staff.

When the students filed into the science class and saw the chair repositioned, they didn't know what it was all about, science teacher Ed Maynard said.

"They didn't know Lorne, but I told them what a great guy he was and that he was killed in Iraq," Maynard said. "They hear about other young people dying over there, but when they heard it happened to a kid who sat right at that desk, they became really quiet and listened intently."

Maynard taught Henry in the 10th grade. His wife, Kimberlee, a biology teacher at the high school, taught Henry in the ninth grade.

Maynard, who is also the school's swimming coach, urged Henry, whom he described as slim and muscled with a swimmer's build, to join the swim team.

"When he tried out as a junior, he was a midline swimmer, but by the time he graduated, he was on the A relay team," said Maynard, who noted the team qualified for the Section VI championship that year.

Henry lowered his time from 31.8 seconds to a 24.2 in the 50-yard freestyle.

"That's a pretty respectable time," Maynard noted.

Academically, Henry was at the 85 mastery level in the state.

"He was a hardworking kid," Maynard said. "Everything he turned in was quality work."

When Maynard's autistic son, Alek, would drop by the school after classes, Henry would hold up his hand in a high-five welcome. Alek, who was 3 years old and nonverbal at the time, would light up with a smile and give him a high-five right back.

"To me, Lorne was an overall good guy with a great personality," Maynard said. "His smile would fill up a room."

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, commander of the 10th Mountain Division, said Tuesday that three soldiers from Fort Drum were killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq - the second time in less than 10 days that a roadside bomb killed three soldiers from the Army base.

The others died Feb. 19.

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