Memorial Day Tribute to a Fallen Soldier

By Anthony Collins, 

LPR Editor                            

     As Memorial Day arrives and flags wave solemnly across the country, the Lockhart Post-Register takes a moment to remember one from its own community, Corporal Jason K. LaFleur. 

     A 1997 graduate of Lockhart High School, LaFleur is remembered not just for his service in the U.S. Army, but also for the lasting impact he made on his hometown.

   Born in Houston on January 28, 1979, LaFleur moved with his family to Lockhart in 1985. From a young age, he stood out for his quiet strength and steady presence. He played soccer with passion, marched as a drummer in the Lockhart High School Band, and later attended the University of Mississippi on a partial academic scholarship. His love for soccer stuck with him, so much so that he coached youth teams while living in Durango, Colorado.

      But it was his deep sense of duty that led Jason to enlist in the U.S. Army in 2005 at the age of 26. He trained as an Airborne Cavalry Scout and was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment in Alaska. Just a year later, he deployed to Iraq as part of a mission in the region.

       On August 4, 2007, while responding to a distress call from a fellow unit under fire in Hawr Rajab, Iraq, LaFleur’s platoon encountered a roadside bomb. The improvised explosive device (IED) killed three soldiers, including Corporal LaFleur, who was just 28 years old. For his bravery, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

      Back home, his mother, Kei LaFleur, worked tirelessly to make sure Jason’s sacrifice wouldn’t be forgotten. Thanks to her efforts, a portion of Highway 183 between Austin and Lockhart now bears his name, The Corporal Jason K. LaFleur Memorial Highway.

       “It’s a way of keeping his memory alive and maybe teaching someone else about him,” she said. The signs are more than markers; they’re reminders of the true cost of freedom.

     His legacy also lives on at the Jason K. LaFleur Soccer Complex on Maple Street in Lockhart. Named in his honor, the 28-acre facility features lighted fields, youth programs, and a vibrant community space where kids can chase their soccer dreams, just like Jason once did.

      In 2024, a new mini pitch was unveiled at the complex through partnerships with the 4ATX Foundation and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. The addition serves not only as a boost for youth recreation, but also as a living tribute to LaFleur’s lifelong love for soccer and service.

      Today, the soccer fields are alive with laughter and energy, a powerful contrast to the solemn memories of war. But both tell LaFleur’s story, a local Lockhart boy turned hero, whose legacy is rooted in service, sport, and sacrifice.

       As we gather with loved ones this Memorial Day, let us remember Corporal Jason K. LaFleur not just as a soldier, but as a son, a friend, a coach, and a community hero.