CORUNNA -- Friends say Army Pfc. Shane Cantu will forever be remembered as a loving person whose calling was to defend his country.
Cantu – who was died of shrapnel wounds Aug. 28 in Afghanistan – was laid to rest Monday evening, after a funeral service that drew thousands of people to the Corunna High School football field.
Pastor Marlene Webster of the Cantu family's church, Owosso Church of the Nazarene, gave the eulogy, and spoke to Cantu's virtues as a young man. He is described as someone who excelled at everything he did, and always gave 100 percent.
Cantu was a starter on the Corunna High School football team. He graduated in 2010.
Even people who were only acquainted with Cantu say his death hits close to home.
"They described him as a really nice kid,” said Shirley Tattersall of Owoss.
“He wanted to join the service and that was his life."
"My prayers are with them, and may God bless them all and give them strength to go through this hard time,” said Mary Lou Nemets of Corunna.
Cantu was laid to rest immediately following the funeral service at Greenwood Cemetery in Vernon.
Governor Rick Snyder has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff at state buildings in honor of Pfc. Cantu. Flags will be returned to full-staff on Wednesday.
