Funeral services for Ross L. Toles, a Navy Reservist from North Branch are planned for Thursday. The 37-year-old father of three died during a rocket attack on a humanitarian mission.

The 37-year-old First Class Petty Officer and another sailor, Hospitalman Marc A. Retmier of Hemet, CA, died June 18 during a rocket attack in the northern Paktika province of Afghanistan.

Toles was the 13th Michigan serviceman to die in combat operations since the beginning of hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Funeral services for Toles, who leaves behind a wife and three sons, are slated for 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lapeer, followed by burial in the city's Stiles Cemetery. Sam Cottle, the Michigan captain of the Patriot Guard, a nationwide organization that provides honor guards for military funerals, said his group has been invited by the Toles family to attend the funeral.

During his nearly 20 years in the regular Navy and reserves, Toles earned several awards and decorations, among them the 2007 Selres (Selected Reserve) Sailor of the Year, two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, Navy 'E' Ribbon, two Navy Reserve Meritorious Service Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, Humanitarian Service Medal, and three Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

He was born in 1971 at what was then Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. He joined the Navy in 1989, initially serving aboard the USS Saint Louis in Sasebo, Japan. After eight years as a Navy Seabee, Toles switched over to the Navy Reserve, where he stay for the next 10 years.

"He had a heart the size of the state of Michigan," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Rex Roach, who served with him at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County.

He said that while Toles was involuntarily recalled to active duty last fall and sent to Afghanistan in February, "He was proud to go. He was happy to go."

Roach said Toles was doing humanitarian reconstruction work in Afghanistan at the time of his death. "He lost his life fighting for what he believed in," a family spokesman said in a written statement.

Toles grew up in Lapeer. His parents, Ross II and Gwen, still live here. Toles and his wife, his wife April, and their sons; Shawn (14), Jake (10), Ryan (5), had just purchased a house in North Branch before his recall.

"He was very positive. He was a go-getter. He was fun to be around," said Roach, who served with him in the reserves the past four years and has known the elder Toles, a retired Navy reservist, for 20 years. He said Toles was an avid hunter and motorcyclist, adding Toles and some friends formed the Lone Wolf Riding Club in memory of lost relatives.

While Toles and Roach trained at Selfridge ANGB, they were attached to NAS Sigoella, a base in Italy. On the weekends, said Roach, Toles did maintenance work aboard the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Ship Grayfox (TWR 825), a former torpedo recovery vessel moored in Port Huron. Last year Toles told a Navy journalist, Toles. "Most of the kids are pretty eager to learn. Everybody is involved and everybody pitches in. It's teamwork."

Roach said Toles, "Loved going on the ship. He was a great father figure."

When not aboard the Grayfox, Toles and the other reserve sailors in his unit kept the 127th Fighter Wing Logistics Readiness Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base prepared for the flight line.

A family spokesman wrote, "On behalf of the Toles family we thank everyone for their love and support during this hard time. We appreciate your kind words and prayers. Although, we appreciate all the love and support the family would appreciate their privacy at this difficult time."

Visitation for Toles is planned from 2-9 p.m. today at Muir Funeral home in Lapeer.

Phil Foley may be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8148 or pfoley@lapeergroup.com