Cpl. Lucas T. Pyeatt, 24, the nephew of Nancy Roberts of Bigfork, was killed in Afghanistan Saturday.

He is the son of her sister Cynthia and her husband, Lon Scott Pyeatt, of West Chester, Ohio.

Roberts, who works at the Sitting Duck, said Lucas Pyeatt had only been in Afghanistan about a week when he died in action on Feb. 5 in Kajaki, Helmand Province.

He was a member of the 2nd Radio Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force stationed in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Roberts called him a wonderful young man who will be greatly missed by his family and many friends.

The son of an Air Force family, Pyeatt was trained as a cyrptologic linguist in both Pashto, a native language of Afghanistan, and Russian.

He joined the Marines after serving a mission to St. Petersburg, Russia, with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

His sister Emily Smalley, 26, told the Virginian Pilot that he spoke with his parents three days before he was killed.

She said it was his dream to follow in his father’s footsteps and serve in the military.

“Nobody had a better son or brother,” Smalley said. “He felt it was his duty to serve. It was his honor. We’re proud of him.”

Tributes flowed in as word of Pyeatt’s death reach his friends and family.

He was described as a self-taught musician who played in the orchestra and a selfless person who taught himself sign language so he could communicate with a deaf classmate who became his close friend.

“He always stood up for the underdog. He cared about people. He was always willing to help out when anyone needed him,” Smalley said.

According to his sister, he was nearing the end of his fifth year in the Marines and had set a goal of becoming a Navy SEAL. His father sent a request to family and friends asking for prayers for his son.

“God bless you, and please don’t forget the sacrifices all these outstanding young women and men are making on behalf of our country,” his father wrote in an e-mail.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.