wfn.org | Lutherans Mourn Deaths of Dickinson State University Students

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: Lutherans Mourn Deaths of Dickinson State University Students
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>November 4, 2009  

Lutherans Mourn Deaths of Dickinson State University Students
09-247-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Many South Dakota Lutherans have joined people
throughout the country in mourning the drowning deaths of three students
at Dickinson (N.D.) State University, the result of a tragic accident,
law enforcement officials said. The bodies of the students -- Ashley
Neufeld, Kyrstin Gemar and Afton Williamson -- were found Nov. 3 in a
vehicle submerged in a pond near Dickinson.

The three women all played on the university's softball team.
Authorities believe the trio was stargazing when the accident occurred
Nov. 1. Teammates had received distress calls that night from the women,
who mentioned "water and a lake," according to a university spokesperson.
It was not unusual for the three women to drive to a lake, gaze at the
stars and chat, said Gemar's father. Nuefeld was from Canada; Gemar and
Williamson were from California.

Neufeld, Gemar and Williamson apparently did not attend either of
the ELCA congregations in Dickinson, but members of both congregations
have been affected by the tragedy, including Guy Fridley, former
Dickinson State softball coach.

Fridley told the ELCA News Service he coached Neufeld and Gemar for
three years. "I treated them like my own kids. I wanted the best for
them," said Fridley, a member of St. John Lutheran Church. Fridley has
spoken with the students' parents and said they've gotten a lot of
support from the Dickinson community.

Fridley left last summer after nine years at Dickinson State for a
new role as principal and athletic director at nearby South Heart School.
He said what happened to the three women has left him in disbelief.

"The only thing I saw in those kids was joy. I can't get out of my
mind how scared they must have been," he said. They were part of the
softball program's success, which included appearances in regional and
national playoffs in recent years, Fridley said.

Faith has played a role in Fridley's own response to the
tragedy. "This has made my faith stronger in the past few days," he
said. "We got to celebrate the life they did live. We were fortunate to
have had those three for the time we did." Fridley and his wife Amber
attended a Nov. 3 prayer service at the university, and will be part of a
university-wide memorial being planned for this week.

Eileen Kopren, member of St. John and librarian at Dickinson State,
serves as staff contact for the school's Lutheran Campus Ministry.
Classes were cancelled Nov. 4 because of the students' deaths. The
library was open, but few students came, she said.

"This has had a tremendous impact on the student body. It has
impacted the faculty and staff. A lot of people are finding various ways
to grieve today," Kopren said. "Hugs and tears" were typical responses on
campus today, she added.

The Rev. Steven D. Tangen, St. John Lutheran Church, said the
women's deaths add more pain to the community, still trying to recover
from a tornado that hit south Dickinson July 8. "We're a delicate
community now, and the deaths of these three women add another layer of
grief," he said.

Several Dickinson State University students attend worship at St.
John which is near the campus, he said. Services this weekend will
include prayers for the three women, their families, friends and others
who have been affected by their deaths.

The Rev. Steven K. Schou, Peace Lutheran Church, Dickinson, changed
his sermon for the regular mid-week service, he said. Normally it's
connected to the weekly confirmation class lesson, but tonight he will
focus his sermon on Psalms 19:1-6. That biblical reference begins
with, "The heavens are telling of the glory of God."

"They liked to go stargazing," he said, commenting on his
sermon. "Looking at the stars can lead a person to contemplate life.
Tragedy makes one wonder about the purpose of life. Tragedy makes us
wonder about 'what is my purpose,'" Schou said.

Earlier in the day, Schou said, he went to a local independent
living facility for seniors for a regularly scheduled mid-week worship
service. "They were silent," he said. "These students' drowning has put a
cloud over everything. They're stunned as is the whole community."

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org 
http://www.elca.org/news 
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog