NATCHEZ &045; Devoted family man. Solid soldier. A sportsman, and a friend who always had a smile at the ready.

According to family members and friends &045; including friends at his church, First Baptist of Natchez &045; Sgt. Todd Partridge was all that and more.

But in addition to all those things, staff members of First Baptist said they’ll remember him as a committed Christian and church member.

Army Sgt. Todd Partridge, 35, was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded near the vehicle he was driving while on duty in Iraq, according to family members.

The family lived in Natchez until Partridge, laid off from Johns Manville, joined the Army two years ago, and they are currently stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Partridge and his family &045; wife Rhonda and daughters Kelsee and Kymberlee, now 11 and 9 &045; joined First Baptist of Natchez in 1999, and they are still members there.

It is there that Partridge’s funeral will be held, although the date, time and other details of that service were not finalized as of Sunday. Another service will be held for Partridge in Washington state late this week, the Rev. Bill Hurt confirmed Sunday.

&uot;He was here every time the doors were open,&uot; said Hurt, who has been the church’s pastor for five years and will preach Partridge’s Natchez funeral.

Dan Wynn, the church’s director of education, said Partridge didn’t volunteer for every church task that same along. But Partridge wouldn’t miss the things he was involved in.

That included worship on Sunday mornings and evenings and Wednesday night, Sunday school and the church softball league, in which he and Rhonda once coached.

&uot;Church became a part of their life,&uot; Wynn said. &uot;And I remember that if he said something, he would do it.&uot;

It wasn’t just show for the Partridges, according to Wynn &045; they yearned to hear the message behind all the activities.

&uot;They were such an inspiration because they were always here, but also because they were hungry for what was being taught,&uot; Wynn said.

Youth Minister Dan Ratcliff remembered most Partridge’s dry sense of humor &045; and how evident his love for his family was, with him carrying his daughters on his shoulders into the church building.

Several church members who knew the Partridges well, including members of their Sunday school class, were in shock after they heard the news at church that morning, Hurt said.

Standing outside the sanctuary before the evening service, Hurt reflected on what such tragedies teach us.

&uot;We hear on the news every day, four soldiers died in Iraq, and it really doesn’t mean anything to us,&uot; he said. &uot;But when it’s somebody we know, Š it puts a face with the name.&uot;

And suddenly, he added, our troubles don’t seem so important.

Later, during that night’s service, Hurt prayed for Partridge’s family and for the congregation as a whole.

&uot;He gave his life to preserve our (way of life) here in our own nation,&uot; Hurt said.

&uot;We pray that his family will be embraced by the community of faith.&uot;