Laureano R. Jimenez

Mr. Laureano R. Jimenez passed away on Friday, August 28, 2009 at Flower’s Hospital in Dothan, AL. He was 77.

Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2009 in the Sunset Funeral Home Chapel with U.S. Army Chaplain Father Sean Magnuson officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park with full military honors with Robert Byrd directing. The family visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. prior to the service. Mr. Jimenez was born on October 6, 1931 in Fort Davis, TX. His family moved to Marfa, TX when he was a child. He attended St. Mary’s and Blackwell schools. He enlisted in the US Army in 1949. In September 1950, after Basic and Advanced Training, Mr. Jimenez was deployed to serve his country on the front lines in Korea. On April 24, 1951 his unit was surrounded and the following day, he was captured by the North Koreans. They were marched north mainly at night because of air raids. They made one stop at a place later referred to as "Death Camp" because prisoners who were unable to march were left there to die. It took 3 months to reach the POW camp. Mr. Jimenez went from 180 pounds to 90 pounds while in captivity; 28 months after his capture the truce was signed and they were trucked south and released. He later retired in Daleville, AL where he lived with his wife Soon Nyn Jimenez.Survivors are his wife Soon Nyn Jimenez; son and daughter-in-law Louis and Monica Jimenez; Step-daughter and son-in-law Joung Ok and Danny Larson; Step-daughter Joung Hi Kwon; Brothers Henry "Charlie" and Pete Jimenez; Sisters Donna Zamora, Betty Gutierrez, and Amparo Rosales; grand-children Justin Jimenez, Jenna Jimenez, Matthew Larson, Jeffrey Larson, Christina Larson , David and Martha Kwon. Burial Date: January 1, 1970