Family friend Mike Pulliam

Family friend Mike Pulliam, who once was Dewey's assistant Newports 100S Scoutmaster, said "it hit like a ton of bricks" when he learned of Dewey's death. "I really feel for his mom and dad," he said. "It just amazes you that these fine young men are willing to make the sacrifice and to put themselves in harm's way for us. I'm proud to have known Brandon, and I honor his service." Teachers and friends said Dewey had wanted to join the Marine Corps within months of his June 2003 graduation from Merrill F. West High School in Tracy, so he enlisted early in his senior year and spent weekends conducting fitness training to prepare for boot camp. Justin Krone, who taught American government, politics and Buy Newport Cigarettes Online economics at West High, remembers Dewey as a "fun-loving . jokester" who did Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonations in the months leading up to the California governor's election. "He was funny and light-hearted. I remember thinking that it didn't add up to a Marine, but that's what he wanted to do," Krone said. "We talked about the very real possibility that he could be sent to Iraq. He was not scared of that. He was very much ready. He knew what he wanted to do, but he still had the innocence of a child." Dewey, who joined the Boy Scouts as a high school freshman, enjoyed camping, sailing, swimming and canoeing. Although he started late, he made an extra Newports Cigarettes Website effort to get caught up in skills training, said Mark Gainor, another of his assistant Scoutmasters. After boot camp, Dewey would take the six-hour drive from Camp Pendleton to Tracy as many weekends as he could to stay in touch with his family and friends. "When the word got out that Dewey was in town, people would drop what they were doing," said former classmate Justin Watkinson. "He was known for his ear-to-ear smile." Funeral services are scheduled for Monday afternoon at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Tracy, which the Marine attended since childhood, followed by a military burial at a local cemetery. In addition to his mother, Dewey is survived by his stepfather, Scott Conover of Tracy; his father and stepmother, Mark and Michelle Dewey of Chandler, Ariz.; his brother, Jason Norrish, 35, of Clayton, Calif.; and his sister, Elyse Dewey, 18, who joined the Navy last year and is training in Pensacola, Fla. Along with a Purple Heart, Dewey's personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.