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HYRUM -- The Cache Valley teacher turned army corporal who died in Iraq was laid to rest Wednesday.
Micheal Alleman died in a combat mission about 70 miles north of Baghdad last week. He was only 32 years old, but judging by the crowd of friends, family, students and strangers who attended his funeral, he made a huge impact.
Alleman was buried with full military honors: a 21-gun salute, taps and flags given to his family, including his wife, Amy.
Up until two years ago, he was a fifth-grade teacher at Nibley Elementary School. He left to join the military, saying it was his time to serve his country.
Alleman's service and sacrifice were just two of the reasons he was so respected in this community. He also had earned that respect in Iraq, working to better the lives of children there as well.
"When his patrol and group went back, there were MREs, food, and he had giving them all to the children. And the soldiers came back looking for the food, and he said, ‘Sorry guys. I gave it to the children.' That's the kind of guy he was," said family spokesman Scott Szabo.
Alleman leaves behind two young boys. In fact, the last contact he had with his wife was in response to some photos she'd sent of their kids. He e-mailed her saying how beautiful they were.
Flags have been placed along Main Street in Hyrum, leading from the church where the funeral was held to the cemetery. There's also talk of honoring Alleman's legacy by continuing to work on getting soccer balls donated to kids in Iraq. It was a project he'd been pushing.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
