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El Paso-Gridley community feels Lincoln's pain after crash
By Phyllis Coulter
pcoulter@pantagraph.com
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EL PASO -- Students and residents in the El Paso-Gridley and Fieldcrest school districts know what many, many people in the Lincoln area are going through right now. | Logan Co. crash victims ID'd

It was a year ago on Saturday that those two districts lost three high school students in an automobile crash near Flanagan. Another student survived.

In Logan County, communities are mourning the loss of four lives taken far too early — the victims of a single-vehicle accident near Middletown late Friday night.

“It’s very difficult to go through. Our hearts go out to them,” said El Paso-Gridley Superintendent Bill James, whose high school lost Jaclyn M. Mowrer, 16, of Bloomington and formerly of El Paso, on Feb. 16, 2007.

Her friend Angelia C. Hill, 16, of El Paso, was seriously injured. Their friends, Curtis Turner, 18, of Minonk, and Eric L. Moore, 16, of Dana, were killed. They attended Fieldcrest High School in Minonk. Hill returned to school in El Paso and graduated early in December.

“Time does help,” said James, but, “The memories will last.”

Surviving from the Middletown accident were Clark Schooneover and Zach Rickord, both Lincoln Community High School graduates. They remained in Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, on Tuesday in fair and serious condition, respectively.

Four youths died in the Friday night accident: Katelyn McCarty, 19, of Taylorville, a college student in Springfield; Ross Conrady, 18, of Elkhart, a LCHS senior; Christopher McGlasson, 19, of rural Middletown, a LCHS graduate; and Katherine Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln and a sophomore at LCHS.

For students at El Paso-Gridley and Fieldcrest, the deaths of their classmates remain with them a year later.

On Saturday, just hours after news broke of the Middletown accident, El Paso-Gridley High School students sang a tribute, “In Whatever Time We Have,” to Jaclyn Mowrer at a competition of high school show choirs in Springfield.

“Several students were deeply touched as they sang,” said James, who has two daughters at the high school and who attended the performance.

The school has tried to balance tributes to Mowrer with their concern for Hill, who returned to school in late spring, said high school principal Karen Krug.

The high school art department is considering doing a mosaic in honor of Mowrer, Krugg said, and during the last softball season, players wore a decal with Jaclyn’s number “23.” Mowrer also played volleyball and her parents were introduced at the team’s Senior Night along with the parents of other team members, James said.

On a desk in Krugg’s office sits a can of Dr Pepper, Mowrer’s favorite drink, and a ribbon the principal wore at her funeral. It’s a quiet reminder that the young woman won’t be forgotten, Krugg said.

Turner and Moore, the Fieldcrest High School students who were killed, also are remembered in their community in various ways.

For example, Rodney Ruestman, the Minonk Township Cemetery caretaker, and his family planted an oak tree and placed a granite marker in the honor of Turner, a family friend.

"I’ve been taking care of that cemetery for 31 years and I have never seen people respond like this," Ruestman said last year of the tributes left at the cemetery by students and others.

"After graduation, 10 kids came out there and laid their tassels there," he said. "It’s just nice that students still want to come out and visit his grave."

Today, Krugg is thinking about how to pay tribute at graduation this year when Mowrer would have graduated.

“You need time to heal and think clearly — to put together what best represents the situation,” she said of tributes to students who have died or been so emotionally affected by tragic accidents.

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Reader comments on this story - 9 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Sister of Victim wrote on Feb 20, 2008 1:09 PM:

" Almost exactly one year apart and a tragic loss. My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of both during this difficult time. My prayers are extended to those injured and recovering. "

Fieldcrest MOM wrote on Feb 19, 2008 12:32 PM:

" FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS!! CURTIS~ERIC~JACLYN !!
EVEN THOUGH TIME HAS COME TO PASS YOUR LOVING WAYS AND HEART WARMING SMILES WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON IN OUR LIVES. WE LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOREVER ! "

My heart~ wrote on Feb 19, 2008 12:15 PM:

" Is with you as well, Angelia. I love you. Michelle Parker "

Maggie wrote on Feb 19, 2008 10:14 AM:

" My prayers are with the families and friends that lost these 4 great kids. I understand how you guys feel. The memories that you shared together will last forever. I love ya Jaclyn. "

EPGHS Mom wrote on Feb 19, 2008 8:31 AM:

" We love you too Michelle, you and Curtis and Eric's family are always in our prayers, Angelia too! We will keep the families from the Lincoln area in our thoughts and prayers "

GR wrote on Feb 19, 2008 7:40 AM:

" I love you Jaclyn. "

I understand wrote on Feb 18, 2008 7:47 PM:

" Many years ago I to was in an accident and lost a great friend. Things are different now, in school we didn't know how to handle this type of situation and loss. No counselors, no healing or conversation about the person. It was just hushed away and not talked about. No, I don't blame the school at all, they didn't know what to do. But I think that it is great that the schools now allow healing and talking about the hurt they feel. It has never gone away and never will but the time might have been a little easier if the support was there. Pray for all of the families and the people that are still alive from these accidents, they have so much more healing to
do and many phases of healing. But most of all questions on why? Have faith survivors and realize that God has a time for all of us. It may not seem fair now. I am so sorry for the families that have lost their loved ones. Everyones hearts and prayers are with all of you. "

Michelle Parker wrote on Feb 18, 2008 7:19 PM:

" I'm Jaclyn's proud mom. I love you Elpaso Gridley, and to all communities who have shown their love and support for Jaclyn, Eric and Curtis. Remember to keep all our loved ones in our hearts, they will be with us always! My thoughts and prayers to the families in Logan county. "

ElPaso friend wrote on Feb 18, 2008 6:45 PM:

" Remembering those lost at this difficult time. Thinking of the family's that have attempted to move on. May the memories last you forever and that you have been able to find some peace. "
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