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<p>FORTY FORT &#8212; More than 1,000 American flags lined Wyoming Avenue from Kingston to Forty Fort as friends, family and even complete strangers made their way to the Wroblewski Funeral Home to pay their final respects Friday to Airman First Class Shannon Purcell and her family.</p><p>Purcell, a 2016 graduate of Wyoming Valley West, died May 6 while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Japan.</p><p>Before deployment, the 18-year-old musician and field hockey player lived with her father, Dave, of Swoyersville, and Georganne, Larksville.</p><p>Many turned out to pay their respects at a viewing Thursday, and an additional viewing took place at the funeral home Friday morning before services were conducted. People continued to arrive up until the last minute, spilling out onto the home&#8217;s front porch and sidewalk. Funeral Director Thomas Wiedlich said that over 1,000 guests attended the services, and that he expected upward of 400 vehicles to take part in the procession to St. Mary&#8217;s Cemetery in Hanover Township.</p><p>Shortly after 9:30 a.m., a rumbling could be heard as roughly 150 motorcycles made their way down Wyoming Avenue and to the funeral home, many displaying American flags on the back of their bikes. The cyclists included members from Veteran&#8217;s Promise, Pride Motorcycle Club and its Dallas chapter, Luzerne County Correctional Riders, Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club and various local American Legion and Auxiliary riders.</p><p>Purcell drowned after slipping and falling about 15 feet into the Tanaga Gumui basin in Okinawa, according to a news release from the military.</p><p>Purcell, assigned to the 18th Munitions Squadron at Kadena Air Base, was visiting Aha Falls, a popular hiking and cliff-jumping spot for service members and tourists.</p><p>Swoyersville Mayor Christopher Concert, one of six individuals who assisted resident Tracey Passetti in obtaining and placing the donated flags along the avenue, said he felt it was his honor and duty to help memorialize Purcell. Concert said that earlier in the week, he ordered the flags at the Swoyersville Borough building to be lowered to half-staff to recognize Purcell being brought home.</p><p>In Forty Fort, Mayor Andy Tuzinski arrived at the funeral home early to ensure everything was in place for Purcell and her family.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very appreciative of all the hard work that went on behind the scenes by a lot of people and what they did to show the family respect and honor Shannon&#8217;s memory,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I really appreciate the outpouring of support from the community.&#8221;</p><p>Tuzinski said he appreciated the assistance from other local and state agencies for assisting the borough secure the area and help the family.</p><p>After the service, the hundreds who came to pay their final respects exited the funeral home and got into their cars in preparation for a lengthy procession.</p><p>The service was officiated by an Air Force military chaplain, and Air Force members acted as pallbearers. Residents then lined the sidewalks as they offered one final farewell by holding and waving flags.</p><p>After pulling away, the procession continued through Kingston, Edwardsville, Larksville and other towns before arriving at the cemetery. In Kingston, two fire-truck ladders were used to hoist an American flag high above Wyoming Avenue so Purcell could pass under the stars and stripes.</p><p>Swoyersville resident Angela Sims said she didn&#8217;t know Purcell, but she felt she had to show support for the teen and her family.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s just very sad,&#8221; said Sims.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Friends and Family grieve the loss of Airman Shannon Purcell at the Wrobeleski funeral home in Forty Fort on Friday. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell1-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Friends and Family grieve the loss of Airman Shannon Purcell at the Wrobeleski funeral home in Forty Fort on Friday. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell2-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Shannon Purcell&#8217;s casket is carried out of the Wroblewski funeral home in Forty Fort on Friday as people salute. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell2-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Shannon Purcell&#8217;s casket is carried out of the Wroblewski funeral home in Forty Fort on Friday as people salute. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell3-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">People lined Wyoming Avenue in Kingston with flags Friday as the funeral procession for Airman Shannon Purcell passed by. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell3-2.jpg</photo2><caption2>People lined Wyoming Avenue in Kingston with flags Friday as the funeral procession for Airman Shannon Purcell passed by. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell4-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The casket of Airmen Shannon Purcell is placed in the hearse. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell4-2.jpg</photo3><caption3>The casket of Airmen Shannon Purcell is placed in the hearse. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader</caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell5-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Friday&#8217;s funeral procession for late Airman Shannon Purcell passes under an American flag held high by Kingston ladder trucks. Purcell, 18, died while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Japan. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL052017Purcell5-2.jpg</photo4><caption4>Friday&#8217;s funeral procession for late Airman Shannon Purcell passes under an American flag held high by Kingston ladder trucks. Purcell, 18, died while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Japan. </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Residents line funeral routefor teen who died in Japan</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><videoMeta><p><table style="border:none;width:98%;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoID:</td><td id="videoid" style="width:50em;font-size:90%;"> OKbortGgLtE</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoType:</td><td id="videotype" style="font-size:90%;"> YOUTUBE</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">URL:</td><td id="url" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Embed String:</td><td id="videoembedstring" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Caption:</td><td id="videocaption" style="font-size:90%;"> Airman Shannon Purcell is laid to rest.</p><p></td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Credit:</td><td id="videocredit" style="font-size:90%;"> Aimee Dilger</p><p></td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Position:</td><td id="videoposition" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="margin-top:10px;font-size:70%;color:#555;">(use the &#8220;for files&#8230;&#8221; link above to associate attached files with this source)</p></videoMeta></div>

Community turns out en masse to say goodbye to late servicewoman Purcell