By John Howell Sr.

North Delta School has announced it will name the newly-completed elementary school library for Michael Brandon Presley, a 2002 graduate who died while fighting as a Marine in 2005 in Fallujah, Iraq.

North Delta Headmaster John Howell Jr. said that Presley’s ongoing interest in elementary students after he joined the Marines makes naming the library in his memory especially significant.

“When he had leave time while in service, he was faithful to visit the school and check on us,” Howell said.

“Brandon always made time to see the elementary children as well.”

Workers were putting final touches last week on an expansion that included four elementary classrooms in addition to the library.

“It is our plan, with the family’s blessing, to name the library after Brandon and to have a special display dedicated to remembering his life and service,” Howell said.

“It is also our goal to furnish this library elegantly and to equip it with the state of the art technology for our children.”

The library will house about 10,000 children’s books that are part of the elementary reading curriculum through the Accelerated Reading Program, according to the headmaster.

In December, 2005 Corporal Presley engaged with machine gun fire a suspicious vehicle approaching the convoy he was guarding. The gunfire forced the car’s occupant to detonate the bomb it carried prematurely, away from the convoy, but Presley was mortally wounded from the flying shrapnel.