Robin Hartke wishes she could be sitting at the Waffle House sipping coffee until the wee hours of the morning with her precious son; instead, she is mourning her loss after he was killed last Friday while serving his country in Iraq.

Former Crossville resident Lance Corporal Stephan Fitzgerald Dearmon, 21, was a combat photographer who served with Headquarters and Services Company, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Stephan's mother, Robin, and his sister, Tiffany Clouse, who now live in Knoxville, are both heartbroken.

"He was such a loving, caring, good-hearted boy who would give anyone the shirt off his back. You couldn't ask for a better son. He hung out with his mom like we were best friends. He wasn't ashamed to go shopping with me or be seen with me anywhere," Robin Hartke said.

His mother said, "A lot of times we would just sit and drink coffee together at Waffle House until the wee hours of the morning just talking and laughing. Stephan loved to laugh. He would talk to me about anything and I would listen ... I just miss him so much, I will never be the same."

Dearmon was killed on his tour of duty in Iraq Friday, April 3.

The Department of Defense announced Dearmon's death Wednesday evening in a press release. The release states Dearmon was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and died "as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq."

The incident is under investigation and no other details have been released. His body was scheduled to arrive Thursday morning at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville.

Dearmon attended Cumberland County High School and was on the wrestling team at CCHS. He attended CCHS from 2001-2004 then moved to Cookeville and attended Cookeville High School for his senior year.

He joined the Marine Corps in August 2007 and joined his current unit in April 2008. He was promoted to the rank of lance corporal on Oct. 1.

His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

His father, William Dearmon, remains a resident of Crossville and the fallen Marine has many relatives living in Cumberland County as well.

"It's just such a great loss. I don't know what to say. I feel like half of my heart has been ripped out," Will Dearmon said.

Stephan's father served in the U.S. Army from 1982 through 1991. He is a truck driver.

"With my schedule it was hard for me to talk with him that much lately ... I'm going to miss him," he said.

Stephan was doing what he loved working as a photographer with the Marines, according to the family.

"They told us it would be several weeks or even months before the details of what happened would be released," Stephan's mother said.

Until then, the family is left waiting for answers.

"He's my little brother and he'll always be my hero," Tiffany said.

She remembers how good he was with her children and her husband, Zack.

"He was great with everyone. Always the funny one," she said.

To honor Stephan, Tiffany created a MySpace memorial page for her brother.

"I want everyone to know how special he was and how brave he was and just for anyone who knew him to share their memories of Stephan," she said.

"...Our throughts and prayers go out to those friends and family that he dedicated his life to and help fighting through the pain on this great loss. The world will never seem right without him in it. Please feel free to leave your thoughts and condolences on this site," Stephan's memorial page states.

Many friends have poured their hearts out through their comments on the memorial page.

One post reads, "He was a great friend to me. He helped me through a lot of hard times even when he hardly knew me. I will love you and miss you forever sweetheart, but in my heart you will never be gone. I love you dearly!"

Jennifer Clark wrote, "He was a great wrestler and an amazing friend. He was always there for whoever needed him no matter what. He never let down his family and he never let down his friends. He will always be with us no matter what. Stephan you were an awesome person and an amazing friend you will always be missed and most importantly loved."

A Mrs. Davis wrote, "Stephan was one of my good friends in high school, he helped me through so many tough times when I had no one else to turn to. He was always a good listener but most importantly a great friend! He may be gone but he will never be forgotten!"

Rebecca posted, "It's been so long since I have seen you. I wish we could have seen each other one last time. You are one of the best friends I had ... I'm going to miss you so much. You're always going to be in my heart. I love you Stephan."

One of his fellow U.S. Marines posted, "To my brother in arms and true brother: In all of our hearts you will stay for the rest of our lives and in all our eyes you will always be a hero and we will never stop loving you. God is so lucky to have you sitting by his side ... I wish only that we could have told you how much we love you and miss you."

A fellow Marine and combat photographer, Christine Shifflett, started a memorial page for Stephan on Facebook.

"Stephan was not only a fellow Marine combat photographer but a great friend. He was there to cheer you up in times of need. Very easy-going and could always share a laugh with. You cannot put a price of such a loss of a great man like Stephan," Shifflett said.

She and Stephan became friends in Military Occupational Specialty school. "He was a real sweetheart," she said.

Funeral services will be held in Knoxville at 11 a.m. E.D.T. Tuesday, April 14, at Stevens Mortuary Chapel with the Reverend David Hayes officiating. Interment will follow at Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. Military honors will be performed by Delta Company 4th CEB of the United States Marine Corps.

Friends may call at their convenience on Monday beginning at 8 a.m. E.D.T. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. at Stevens Mortuary, Oglewood Ave. at N. Broadway.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Regiment, 3025 John Quick Road, Quantico, VA 22134 or, www.woundedwarriorregiment.org.

For those who would like to contact the family and share their thoughts or memories, a special e-mail address has been set up by the family at lcplsfd87@hotmail.com.

Friends can also visit the memorial page on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/beatnu2.

"Reading all the messages and hearing all the stories about Stephan has helped me to get through this. He was so special to so many people. A lot of them I never knew about. He was a great son and person," his mother said.