PGR WELLINGTON-SGT MOCK-WELLINGTON NEWS ARTICLE

This is an article in the Wellington KS Newspaper regarding the funeral of Sgt Mock. 7 Ponca City Patriot riders attended this funeral in suppor of our fallen soldier and his family.

United States Army Sgt. Willsun M. Mock was remembered in Wellington, KS Thursday for his personal strength and the honor he found in serving his country. Willsun, 23, of Harper, was killed Oct. 23, when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. The Wellington church was filled to capacity to mourn Mock. Those attending were given small, black ribbons to wear with Mock’s name and date of death printed in silver. The family entered the sanctuary last, filling an estimated 20 rows inside the church. The flagged-drapped casket was surrounded by dozens of funeral sprays. A large framed picture of the young soldier was placed near the coffin. Tears were interupted by moments of laughter as family members shared light-hearted stories about Mock’s life. As family and friends grieved inside the building that on any other day houses the congregation of the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, outside a handful of protesters were awash in a sea of red, white and blue rolling on waves of black leather and chrome. By 9:30 a.m., members of the Patriot Guard began to gather in the parking lot at Wal-Mart on Wellington’s west side, each member waiting for word when to ride. By noon, the 350 or so thundering two-wheelers, riders and American flags built a barrier blocking the view and deadening the chats of protesters associated with Topeka’s Westboro Church. The five protesters — four women and one young male — arrived just before noon. Wellington police isolated the protesters to an area encased by a four-foot tall, orange plastic snow fence on a city easement near the alleyway just west of Plum on 22nd Street. Wellington police made the decision to put the protesters at that location. The homeowner, a veteran who lined his garage with American flags directly behind the protesters, was not happy with the decision, Wellington Police Chief Mike Keller said. A van carrying the five protesters parked in the alleyway and entered the protest area. Police and sheriff’s deputies stood by as the Patriot Guard stood shoulder-to-shoulder with flags in hand blocking the view of the protesters from mourners. Patriotic music blarred above the degrading chats echoing from the protesters as curious neighbors watched from the roadside or the yards. Small U.S. flags were placed along the chainlink fence at Eisenhower Elementary School and waved in the wind as the Patriot Guard and funeral process moved along Plum Street. Several Wellington residents lined their yards with small flags or lowered their full size flags to half-mast during the funeral service. Television crews rolled and cameras clicked as the motorcycles roared toward the church and parked along Plum. U.S. Fourth District Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt attended the funeral along with 116th District Kansas State House Rep. Dennis McKinney. As the procession left the church, hundreds of individuals lined the streets of Wellington offering their salute and admiration for Mock. All along the way, residents waved the American flag. In Argonia, school children waved flags and saluted the funeral procession as it made its way to Harper, Mock’s home town. Mock was buried at the Harper Cemetery.