Fallen Marine Bobby Twitty was laid to rest in Bedias Sunday.

And the town - literally, the town, with local family and friends - and visitors from around the area turning out in droves, his funeral got a mile-long escort.

Lance Cpl. Twitty, a 20-year old Bedias resident, died in an accident in the city of Ramadi July 22.

Funeral services for Twitty were held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Bedias Baptist Church. He was buried in Bedias Baptist Cemetery.

Twitty joined the Marine Corps in 2005 after graduating Madisonville High School. He was on his fifth month of service in Iraq. According to other news reports, he was killed in an accident. He grew up in Bedias and was the second oldest among six brothers and sisters.

"He told his father he wanted a challenge," his aunt, Carolyn Johnson said of his decision to join the Marines.

Last Friday at 5 p.m., when Twitty''s body was borne through Madisonville en route from Bryan to Madisonville Funeral Home, about 60 people lined the downtown square, most bearing American or Texas flags in tribute to the fallen soldier.

Those who remember Twitty from his school days at Madisonville High School were saddened to learn of his death.

"He was a great guy and a good, all-around friend," said Tiffany Shine, classmate and 2005 graduate of Madisonville High School. "He was real polite and was friends with everyone while we were in high school." She added, "Although he appeared as a quiet individual, once he entered a room, everyone began to have a great time."

Johnson said the same about her nephew''s personality.

"Bobby was known as a tough boy and a tough man with a big heart; he was tough on the outside and tender on the inside," she said.

Stephanie Bailey, counselor at Madisonville High School, had similar comments.

"He was a really sweet young man. He always tended to his business and was a good student," she said.

Part of that mile-long funeral procession was about 200 bikers from the southeast Texas chapter of the Patriot Guard Riders. It is a national group of about 65,000 bikers that turn out for servicemembers'' funerals, paying tribute to their service.