PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour
August 21, 1986 – June 26, 2005
We honor the life and service of PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour with profound sorrow and immense pride. Cheyenne passed away suddenly on June 26, 2005, at the age of 18. Her parents, Allan and Maryjane Deitz Seymour of Trumbull, Connecticut, welcomed her into the world on August 21, 1986, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Peers and teachers at Trumbull High School, where she graduated in 2004, remembered her for her vibrant spirit and unwavering determination.
A Life of Service for PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour
Cheyenne exemplified a deep sense of duty and patriotism through her decision to serve her country. Consequently, she enlisted in the U.S. Army, where she served with distinction and honor. Her commitment to her fellow soldiers and her country demonstrated a courageous and selfless character. Although her time with us remained brief, she certainly made an indelible impact on those who knew her.
Cherishing the Memory of PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour
Cheyenne leaves behind a grieving yet proud family. She is survived by her devoted fiancé, Kyle Ratliff of Dalton, Georgia. Her loving siblings—Shannon Barbarisi and her husband, Blake, of Woodbury; Christian Seymour and his wife, Laura, of Virginia; and PV2 Joshua Seymour, Dakotah Seymour, and Kiowa Seymour of Trumbull—also mourn her loss. Additionally, she is survived by her paternal grandparents, Harry and Marietta Seymour Jr. of Bridgeport; her maternal grandfather, John (J.D.) Deitz and his wife, Rose, of Hinsdale, New Hampshire; her maternal grandmother, Mary LaMare and her husband, Leonard, of Trumbull; and two cherished great-grandmothers, Vivian Crocker of Winn, Maine, and Mary Deitz of Hinsdale, New Hampshire.
Furthermore, extended family, including numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who were touched by her kindness and warmth, will eternally cherish her memory. Her passing leaves a void in the hearts of all who knew her, yet her legacy of service and dedication will continue to inspire.
Honoring the Legacy of PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour
The family held funeral services to honor PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour on Saturday, July 2, 2005, at Long Hill Baptist Church in Trumbull. Full military honors accompanied her interment at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. There, she was laid to rest among the nation’s heroes. Friends and family gathered to pay their respects and celebrate her life. To honor the memories of other service members from our state, please visit the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin’s Gallery of Valor.
In lieu of flowers, donors made memorial contributions to the Cheyenne Marietta Seymour Memorial Fund, c/o Long Hill Baptist Church. These contributions continued her legacy of helping and serving others.
Ultimately, PV2 Cheyenne Marietta Seymour’s life served as a beacon of hope, love, and dedication. Though her time with us remained too short, her spirit lives on in the hearts of those she touched. We salute her bravery and mourn her loss. We remain grateful for her sacrifice and proud to have known such an extraordinary individual. May she rest in eternal peace.
I am not a veteran. I am a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. But in 1991, personal loss brought me to a place I never left.
Over two decades later, that loss led me to the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, where I took on the coordination of Wreaths Across America — which grew into the largest and fastest growing veterans program in the state. I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it for them.
In 2016 I founded the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin. Not because I served, but because I believe those who did deserve to be honored, connected, and kept alive.
Twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. I knew about that number before it became a hashtag. I knew it personally, long before anyone was talking about it.
This publication exists because that number is unacceptable. Because every veteran in Connecticut deserves to know someone gives a damn.
That someone is me.
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