HUNDREDS BID TEARFUL GOODBYE TO SOLDIER.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

NEWHALL - In a heartfelt tribute to a fallen soldier, Army Pfc. Jose Ricardo Flores was remembered Wednesday as a loving son, brother, husband, and father of a newborn, who served his country as he had his own family and community.

Hundreds of mourners filled the pews of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Newhall to say goodbye to Flores and to console his family, who, just days before, buried Flores' maternal grandmother in Mexico. Eva Mejia died in a car crash as she traveled from Mexico to attend his funeral.

Born in Mexico City and raised in Newhall, Flores, 21, of Sand Canyon died Nov. 16 when an explosive hit his convoy in Mosul, Iraq. Flores was assigned to the 25th Transportation Company, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, according to Army officials.

During the service, Monsignor Paul Montoya said Flores had thought of the nation as his own family, and enlisted in the Army to ensure that his country would enjoy continued peace and freedom.

``Ricky knew he was on the front line so that his family could stay together,'' Montoya said. ``He offered his life for the sake of his family. We do not fully realize how precious that peace and freedom is, until we lose a good man.''

Flores, who graduated from Hart High School in 2001, also was remembered as one who served his church. He was an altar boy, a youth group leader and a member of the choir. ``Ricky was a gentle and humble man,'' Montoya said. ``But he was a man, a man of God, a man of faith, a man of strength and he was a soldier. We give thanks to God that he had the courage to be on that front line.''

And then, after the final prayers in church, Flores' body was taken to the hilltop of the Eternal Valley Memorial Park to be buried with full military honors, including a presentation to his family of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. A bugler played taps, and soldiers fired a 21-gun salute. Mourners then released hundreds of white, yellow and black balloons, the colors of the U.S. Army, into the clear blue sky, and placed red carnations on his casket.

Dozens of employees from Blue Barrel also offered condolences to the family. Five of Flores' family members work for the trash disposal company, a division of Waste Management Co.

Nearby stood school friend Amando Olea, 21, who, like several others, wore a white T-shirt with Flores' picture on it that read ``In Loving Memory of Ricky.''

Friends had called Flores an outstanding artist who expressed his thoughts through music, poetry and visual art.

``I knew everybody would be here,'' Olea said. ``That's how much of a good person he was. He gave everything for us. He gave us his dreams and his hopes.''

Olea said the last time Flores visited home, he spoke of premonitions of his own mortality.

``The sad part about it is he said he had a feeling he was going to die,'' Olea said. ``He said there was another explosion that almost had him.''

Family friend Karin Sandness said Flores' family had helped raise her daughters.

``He was always looking out for them,'' she said. ``He was very loved.''

Just a few feet from where Flores was to be buried stood Ballard Larsen of Canyon Country.

He had buried his own son, Army Pfc. Cole W. Larsen, 19, on Monday. He stood just above his son's grave, where a wreath of flowers was still fresh. Nearby was the grave of yet another local youth, Marine Lance Cpl. Richard P. Slocum, also 19, who was buried on Nov. 2. A fresh rose had been placed on his grave.

Slocum's family had come to Larsen's memorial service, Ballard Larsen said, and he and his family had wanted to come to Flores'.

``Three different ceremonies, but the same end to the story,'' Larsen said. ``At least they are all together.''

Waste Management has established a trust fund for Flores' newborn son. For more information or to learn how to make a donation, call spokesman Chris Fall at [phone].

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Eulalio Flores, above, grieves with his wife, Celestina, and daughter during burial services Wednesday for their son and brother, Army Pfc. Jose Ricardo Flores, who was killed in Iraq on Nov. 16. Below, Flores' coffin is carried by an honor guard during the services at Eternal Valley.

(3 -- 4) Monsignor Paul Montoya, left, comforts one of Army Pfc. Jose Ricardo Flores' siblings during funeral services at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Newhall. Above, friends and family of Flores weep at his coffin during burial services at Eternal Valley Memorial Park.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer