Craig Behrend, 25, subject of this week's Elyria Chronicle "Dash"

I did not initially intend to write about Craig Behrend for "The Dash Between" obituary feature for the November 29, 2009, edition of the Elyria Chronicle.

I had seen the story potential in the obit that Craig's family had prepared for the Busch Funeral Home website and various newspapers. Craig, 25, was a soldier who had been diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks before his scheduled deployment to Iraq - - a deployment he very much wanted.

But when looking for a subject for my next "Dash" for the Chronicle, I passed over his story. I suspected that I'd end up with a story all about how Craig battled cancer.

As an obituary writer, I don't focus on death an dying. I write about the life a person lived.

When I approached a Busch funeral director in Avon Lake, Ohio, about an elderly person whose arrangements his funeral home had handled, he strongly suggested I take a second look at Craig's story. He based his recommendation on the stories he'd heard from family, friends and co-workers at Craig's memorial service.

I'm glad I took his advice.

If you have suggestions of people from Lorain County whose lives Alana Baranick should write about for "The Dash Between" obit feature for the Elyria Chronicle or those from Medina County whose lives she should write about for the Medina County Gazette, please let her know. She also is available to write "dashes" for folks from other areas of Ohio for ObitsOhio.com and for other publications. Her contact information appears at the end of each "Dash."

This "Dash Between" column was originally posted on ObitsOhio.com on Nov. 29, 2009.