FLORENCE -- The sound of unconditional pride was evident in Dewayne Newton's voice Thursday afternoon as he talked about his new granddaughter.

"She's beautiful," Newton said. "That's a proud grandfather talking, but I still think she's beautiful.''

Catherine Mattison Conley was born around 3 p.m. Thursday at a Florence hospital, 25 days after her father, U.S. Marine Cpl. Matthew Conley, of Greenhill, was killed while serving in Iraq.

Catherine is the daughter of Nicole Conley, the soldier's widow.

Newton said the baby and her mother are doing fine.

"(The baby) was a little early, but everyone is doing fine,'' Newton said. He said he and his family went to the hospital just after midnight Wednesday and waited nearly nine hours for the birth.

The baby weighs 6 pounds, 13 ounces.

Matthew Conley was stationed in Ramadi, Iraq. He was killed Feb. 19 while on security patrol in the province of Al-Anbar.

He and other members of the squad were killed when an improvised exploding device detonated near their Humvee.

Conley was a passenger in the vehicle, training another soldier to take his place when he returned home. He was scheduled to return to the Shoals on March 6 in preparation for the birth of the couple's first child.

The 2002 Rogers High School graduate was a squad leader assigned to the First Marine Division. His unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 11 Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq.

More than 1,000 people attended Conley's funeral at Rogers on Feb. 26, which was also his birthday.

He and his wife were high school sweethearts.

"We've all been on an emotional roller coaster the last few weeks,'' Newton said. "There's still a piece of the puzzle missing. But Matt will always be with us (through Catherine).''

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.