Army Sgt. William W. Crow Jr. was a tough-looking, big-hearted man who loved skateboarding and hanging out with his buddies.

"He was a happy person. He liked to make people laugh. He was a joy to be around," recalled his close friend and high school classmate, David Bowman. "It's like losing a brother."

Crow, 28, of Grandview Plaza, was killed June 28 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Crow was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley.

Crow enlisted in the military right out of high school. He went to Korea, and then to Iraq. He was on his third deployment to Iraq when he was killed. On a previous tour he was awarded a Purple Heart.

He was married to Michelle four years ago. She already had two sons, Chris, 10, and David, 8; with Crow she had two girls: Alexis, 4, and Kala, 2.

His mother, Kathryn Mondini, last talked to him before Mother's Day.

"I'll miss his hugs," she said. "I just want to hear him say 'Mom, I love you. It's going to be OK.' He was my baby," she added, "he was my lifeline."