Beverly Batesole, of Minden, displays the quilts she made to send to the children of missing Marine Lance Cpl. Donald John Cline, of Sun Valley.
A Sun Valley woman says she's amazed at the outpouring of support she's received from the community since her husband, a U.S. Marine, went missing in Iraq.
As the latest example, a Minden woman is offering comfort to the couple's two young sons in the form of a couple of handmade quilts.
Tina Cline, 20, is the wife of Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline, 21, who is listed as "whereabouts unknown" after a bloody skirmish with Iraqi troops on the outskirts of An Nasiryah on March 23.
Minden resident Beverly Batesole said her heart went out to the young family when she read about their plight.
"My heart tells me I want to do something for her," said Batesole, who plans to give the quilts to Cline's sons Dakota, 2-1/2, and Dylan, 7 months.
"I just felt like these little boys should have something to cuddle up to," she said.
Cline was moved by the gesture.
"I think that's so great," she said quietly during a phone conversation Wednesday. "It's so nice what people are doing for us. It's beautiful."
She said she feels uncomfortable accepting gifts, such as the $100 bill a former Marine handed her on Sunday, but people are so adamant she takes them.
"They just really do want to help. It really is making it a lot easier," she said.
"People that see me out in the public give me hugs and say we are praying for you. When I walk away I'm all tingly."
Cline said she tries to stay out of the house as much as possible, and with the visit of her grandparents Shirley and Orville Lee from North Dakota, she has been spending her days sightseeing and "trying to keep our minds positive that John's coming back alive."
"There are seven of them out there," she said of her husband and six other Marines from his unit who are also missing. "All seven of them have to be together and alive."
It was Cline's optimistic spirit that touched Batesole every time she'd read or see news coverage.
"I heard her saying (on a newscast) she sings about hope with her little boys. And I once read quilters put butterflies in their quilts because its a sign of hope and new beginning, so one of the quilts has butterflies," she said.
"Boy, my heart just goes out to her."
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