GENE SIMMONS Donates Custom-Made KISS Casket To Family Of Soldier Killed In Iraq

October 22, 2005

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons donated a custom-made casket to the family of Staff Sgt. Jerry Bonifacio Jr., a Vacaville, California resident who was killed Oct. 10 in Iraq, for Bonifacio's burial. Check out pictures: Photo#1, Photo#2.

According to TheReporter.com, Bonifacio, who loved heavy metal music and comic books, had mentioned to his fiancee, Michelle Baptiste, that he wanted to be buried in such a coffin.

The news was forwarded to James Lubs, the funeral director, who drove to Los Angeles recently to retrieve the special coffin that was Bonafacio's last wish.

Bonifacio was a part of the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment based in Dublin.

While working for a Martinez refinery, he was called up in December for deployment to Iraq.

A car bomb explosion killed Bonifacio Oct. 10, while he was manning a checkpoint at the heavily fortified Green Zone, surrounded by a maze of barriers erected to protect American and Iraqi officials.

Bonifacio's funeral was held Friday (Oct. 21) in Vacaville.

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