Newport News Times -- Lance Corporal Nathan D. Windsor of the U.S. Marine Corps, 20, a 2005 graduate of Newport High School, was killed in action Saturday, March 10, in Iraq.

Windsor was shot in the neck while acting as a sniper during a military "surge" offensive. Officials did not release Windsor's exact location at the time of the injury, but noted he was bandaged for transport and moved from Iraq to a hospital in Germany, where he died. A community memorial service and celebration of life will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Boone Center at Newport High School.

Windsor joined the military in 2006 and served in Iraq for the past two months. During the last week of December and first week of January, he returned to Newport to visit family and friends and at that time held orders sending him to Kuwait. He was subsequently reassigned, however, and stationed in Iraq.

Windsor was born Oct. 16, 1986. He attended high school in Huntington Beach, Calif., during the 2001-02 school year then moved to Oregon and attended Reedsport High School during 2002-03, before settling in Newport.

He entered the service approximately one year ago, and completed his military training at the U.S. Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif. He was recently promoted from private first class to lance corporal, and his modus operandi was gulf gun fighter.

His mother and stepfather, Leslie and David Elliot, and brother, Lucas Elliot, reside in Scappoose; and his father, Robert Windsor, a former Newport resident, lives in Tualatin.

While living in Newport, Windsor resided at the home of his foster mother Bambie Henderson and her sons, Sean Bovett, Windsor's best friend, and Aaron Bovett; and Henderson's daughter, Krysta Henderson.

"Sean brought Nathan into our lives," Henderson said. "They called each other brothers. He was one of our sons."

Windsor had been dating Rochelle Davis, a senior at NHS, for the past seven months and had told Henderson he planned to ask Davis to marry him. Henderson also noted Windsor had wanted to attend college, but could not yet afford tuition.

While attending Newport High School, Windsor was a member of the wrestling team and was also involved in the video production program. His aspirations included a career in the film industry.

"That's definitely where his focus was," noted Ollie Richardson, NHS video production instructor. "He was always a pleasure to have in class. He was one of those kids who was fun to be around, he always had a smile on his face and a positive attitude. He liked to be in the leadership role, taking charge and making sure everything was running smoothly - he liked to be the director or the producer, that was his passion and his interest level was in that certain area."

During a recent visit to Newport, Windsor made a stop at the high school to visit his former teachers.

"He was one of those guys who was just such a good man, a good citizen," commented NHS history instructor Mike Johnson. "He was a strong character type of guy, just one of those individuals you could trust. It was quite a blow to us when we heard the news.

"His personality was really good for wrestling, which is about determination and hard work and he had those two things," Johnson continued. "He was an individual I felt could be successful at whatever it was he chose to do. He's somebody this community will miss a great deal."

Windsor enjoyed snowboarding and all-terrain motorcycling; playing video games, especially "Halo," and other games including "Magic, the Gathering;" and he and his friends were avid fans of the television show "Family Guy." His favorite musicians were East Coast rock band My Chemical Romance.

"He would do anything for you, he would drop what he was doing to help," said Rochelle Davis.

"He was a protector, he put everybody else first," said Kayla Johnson, Windsor's longtime friend and a senior at NHS.

Prior to enlisting in the Marines, Windsor was employed at the Newport Safeway. He told his family he joined the military to accomplish something of which he - and they - could be proud.

"I think he did something with his life, and he was proud about himself; he wanted something to be proud about," Davis said.

Sean Bovett, Windsor's best friend, commented the Marine "was truly a hero among men," and more importantly, was "a friend among friends."

"He loved the people who were in his life all the time, he didn't take that for granted," said Henderson. "He told me, the last time I saw him, that he realized how lucky he was. He was a wonderful kid."

Windsor's casket will arrive at the Portland International Airport on Friday, and will be met with full military honors. A family memorial service will take place Sunday in St. Helens.