Monday, August 28 2006 @ 08:01 AM EDT
Contributed by: tomw
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 Des Moines Register -- William E. Thorne had been stationed at an Army base near Baghdad for much of the past year.
His wife, Corey Jasper, was also in Iraq with the U.S. Army, but in a different spot.
They hardly saw each other, friends said. They'd hoped to take a short leave together this month and return to their home in Hospers.
 His wife's request for leave was approved; Thorne's was denied.
So Jasper was safe at home, family friends said Saturday, when she learned that her husband of about five years had been killed in Baghdad when a makeshift bomb exploded near the armored Humvee he was driving.
Private First Class Thorne, 26, was killed Thursday about 8 a.m. Baghdad time, said Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood, public information officer with the Iowa Army National Guard. The 1999 graduate of Rock Valley High School was an infantry soldier out of Fort Hood, Texas. He is the 43rd Iowan to die in either Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2003.
Thorne's mother, Karen Thorne of Rock Valley, asked for privacy Saturday as relatives mourned "Willy," the oldest of her three children. A military officer was at her home for support, as was her pastor.
Thorne and his wife have no children.
The family issued a written statement that described Thorne as "very kind, quiet, and unassuming."
"He had an affectionate sense of humor, and a most infectious smile. He was an example of both humility and endurance through challenging times," the statement read. "His gracious presence will continue to be an inspiration. His family is very proud of his dedication and sacrifice, and is committed to honoring him through their lives."
Friends from high school remembered Thorne as a fun-loving guy who liked to rib those closest to him.
"He was quicker with jokes than anyone I ever knew," said Greg Scholten, who heard about Thorne's death while training with the Army National Guard at Fort Sill, Okla.
Friends said "Willy" was a diehard Detroit Lions fan. He and a friend drove three times to Minneapolis to watch Lions-Vikings games. He loved video games such as the Madden football series. He loved playing basketball, too, especially on the blacktop at a Rock Valley elementary school.
After high school, Thorne took jobs at several machine shops in Rock Valley, but he never enjoyed the work. He enrolled at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, where he studied to be a police officer.
He chose military service because "signing bonuses being what they are today, and him having those college expenses, it just seemed like a good idea financially," said Dustin Tiedeman, a close friend since elementary school.
Tiedeman said he was always amazed by Thorne's attention to detail. They'd sometimes sit on the stoop of Thorne's apartment and watch cars drive past. Just by looking at the car, Thorne was able to tell who was inside, Tiedeman said.
Even though Thorne was a jokester, friends say, he had a heart of gold.
"He's just a really special guy. He's all about making people feel better about themselves. He was one of the best friends I've ever had. I could always come to him to talk about stuff," Tiedeman said.
Arrangements for a memorial service have not been set, Tiedeman said, although services will likely be shortly after Labor Day.
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I would like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country. And to your family, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.
"Ready And Forward"(10th Cav Motto)