The body of a Kern County native killed in action in Iraq was scheduled to be returned to Bakersfield Thursday morning. Army Sgt. Josh Soto was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle.
Soto, 25, attended Centennial High School before his family moved 90 miles north to Avenal, in Kings County.
He will be buried Saturday in Hillcrest Memorial Park in Bakersfield, where his mother and grandfather were buried after a traffic accident several years ago. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. at the Hill of Valor. The public is invited.
He was on his third tour of duty when he was killed June 16 near the town of Tallil about 190 miles southeast of Baghdad.
He is survived by his wife, Thelma, a 9-month-old son, Jayden, and an extended family. His body is being accompanied home by his older brother, Shane Soto, who is in the Air Force.
Those who loved him described Soto as a fun-loving person whose life centered around his family.
''Josh was not the serious type,'' said his sister-in-law, Joanna Soto. ''He was always joking around. I have I have two kids, and he was more like the kid. He had a great heart.''
Soto was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his actions on the day he died. He had a previous Purple Heart after being shot in the leg during his first tour of duty.
He enlisted in the Army in 2002 after graduating from Avenal High School. He was assigned to the 77th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
