Mourners remember loved ones at service

By Dave Stephens

Assistant Campus Editor

In the damp darkness, the sound of the snare drums echoed off the surrounding buildings.

The drummers, each marching slowly toward the crowd of more than 100, abruptly halted as the bells within the tower tolled nine times, each strike representing a student who died during the summer.

As the last ring of the bells from the bell tower sounded Sunday night, many of the observers of Purdue's Golden Taps ceremony raised their hands to wipe eyes and embrace loved ones. After a few moments of quiet reflection, buglers from Purdue University Bands played a solemn rendition of "Echo Taps" as friends and family of the deceased students cast their eyes upon a large plaque bearing the names of each student.

As the sounds of the trumpets died away, the bells within the tower began to chime the Purdue Hymn, the music of the bells dampened by the rustling of leaves in the wind. Following the hymn, the band members slowly turned and marched away, the snare drum beat quietly disappearing into the night. A simple ceremony, yet one that resulted in much emotion.

"The simplicity of the ceremony is what makes it so moving," said Jay Gephart, an assistant professor with University Bands. The ceremony, he added, is held to allow the family and friends of the deceased to remember and reflect on the lives of those who have passed away.

"The family members are very appreciative of this ceremony; it helps form closure," Gephart said.

Gephart added that many family members welcomed the fact that the ceremony was postponed from its original date of Sept. 11, a day when national tragedy overshadowed the personal tragedy of an early death.

Jim Stokes, a senior in the Schools of Engineering and a member of University Bands, said the crowd was the largest he has seen at Golden Taps. He said he thinks the ceremony lets the families of the deceased know that the Purdue family also misses their loved ones.

"It's nice to know that the University does care about them and remembers them," said Stokes. "It shows the family that the students aren't just a number."

The students who were honored at the ceremony were the following: Ryan West, a senior in the School of Liberal Arts from Newburgh, Ind.; Benjamin Summers, a junior in the School of Management from Lowell, Ind.; Jeremy Francis, a senior in the School of Liberal Arts from Bringhurst, Ind.' Katie Burkhart, a student in the School of Health Sciences from Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Tracy Rose, a student in the School of Technology from Lafayette, Ind.; Ross Eiler, a freshman in the Schools of Engineering from Lawrenceburg, Ind.; John Woods, a senior in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences from Indianapolis; and Yeunkyung Woo, a doctoral student in Biological sciences from Seoul, South Korea. Also honored was her sister, Huo Kyung Woo, from Chicago, who died on campus in August.

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CAMPUS DESK PHONE:
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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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