Staff Sgt. Bradley Skelton

Staff Sgt. Bradley Joe Skelton, 40, of Gordonville died Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008, in Baghdad, Iraq, while serving with the Missouri National Guard's 1138th Engineer Battalion. He was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

Skelton was born July 29, 1967, in Cape Girardeau, son of Harold L. "Chubb" and Dorothy M. "Dot" Willa Skelton. He was a 1985 graduate of Jackson High School. Skelton joined the Missouri National Guard during his junior year, serving out of the 1140th in Jackson, the unit with which he made his first deployment.

He worked for the former Schaper's IGA and Ceramo in Jackson, BioKyowa, Tri-State Water and Elfrink Transportation in Cape Girardeau. Skelton also served many years as a firefighter with the Gordonville Fire Department.

He was a member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158 in Jackson, the VFW in Cape Girardeau and Christ Lutheran Church in Gordonville.

Survivors include his sister, Carmen Robinson of Sikeston, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson anticipates visitation and service details to be confirmed by Wednesday.