UGA Faculty, Staff, Students Remembered at Candlelight Memorial

A candlelight memorial honoring faculty, staff and students who have died since May 2010 was held Tuesday night at the University of Georgia Chapel. It honored the 19 people affiliated with the university.

Threatening weather drove the memorial service from the Chapel steps to inside the building. UGA President Michael Adams spoke at the event, which began at 7 p.m.

“All of us have come to commemorate those who we’ve lost, and those who we miss,” Adams said.

Adam Daniels, campus minister for the Georgia Christian Student Center, delivered the opening and closing prayers.

“Love is beyond the touch of death,” he said.

The names of the deceased were read aloud by Jeffrey Dorfman, chair of the executive committee of University Council; Jerry Daniel, president of the Staff Council and Mallory Davis, president-elect of the Student Government Association.

Nineteen members of the Arch Society, UGA’s official group of student ambassadors, lit electronic candles as the names of the dead were read. Fire regulations prevented the lighting of actual candles inside the Chapel.

Rachelle Arnold, a UGA chemistry graduate student, attended the memorial to remember Justin Lawrence Elliott, one of the seven students who were honored. Elliott died April 16 from a brain tumor.

 “[Elliott] was an inspiration to everybody because he was going through all these horrible things but nobody could ever tell,” Arnold said. “You didn’t even know until he would just randomly bring it up.”

Immediately following the program, attendees were invited outside the chapel to light candles of remembrance.

Arnold said the service hit home that everyone suffers loss, but can get through it.

“I think [the service was] a nice way to bring everyone together after such horrible loss," she said. "I thought it was wonderfully put together."

Those who were honored include:

Students

Justin Lawrence Elliott, marketing major from Ellijay, Ga.

James David Eunice, incoming freshman from Valdosta, Ga.

Lynwoodt Benard Jenkins, graduate student in fine arts from Stone Mountain, Ga.

Eddie Hoon Ko, sports management major from Buford, Ga.

Kevin Joe Mink, teaching graduate student from Winterville, Ga.

Joshua Mark Robertson, international affairs major from Peachtree City, Ga.

Stuart Michael Tench, history major from Clarkesville, Ga.

Faculty/Staff

Christopher S. Allen, an associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs

Sandra Bonds, a building services worker in Physical Plant

Therese Buskas, a research professional in the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center

Liana Embovica, an academic professional in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music

James H. Foster, a monitor in Parking Services

Marcie N. Jones, a public service associate in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Bruce Klopfenstein, a professor in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Richard Loring Marsh, a professor in the psychology department

William G. Pannell, an equipment mechanic at the University Golf Course

Sheron Nordlund, an administrative associate for the Pesticide and Hazardous Waste Lab

Thelma Richardson, an IT specialist in the Odum School of Ecology

Gabriel Wilner, an associate dean in the School of Law