wfn.org | Mourners say goodbye to Littleton high school victim

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

April 28, 1999 News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.  10-21-71BP{234}

By Joshua Lewis*

LITTLETON, Colo. (UMNS) -- Derald Hoffman sobbed as he summed up what's
wrong after last week's horrific shootings at Columbine High School.

"This time of the year is an exciting time for them, you know. They've just
had their prom there, and I'm thinking of kids writing in their annuals and
they have to write on caskets."

Tears and hugs were in no short supply Monday, April 26,  as mourners
gathered to say goodbye to Lauren Townsend, 18, one of 13 people slain the
previous Tuesday at the Littleton school.
 
Many penned their farewells on Lauren's closed, white casket during
visitation before the service at Foothills Bible Church. The service was
held there to accommodate the people who attended. Even then, it was
standing room only.

Townsend's father, Rick, and stepmother, Sue, are members of St. Luke's
United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, where Hoffman is also a member. 

Two dozen members of St. Luke's went early to the service to help out where
they could, ushering, coordinating childcare, serving punch. Many of them,
like Hoffman, are not close friends of the Townsends.

"You don't have to know them. It's just knowing the pain they're in,"
Hoffman said.
Laurie McMullen is also in pain. A member of St. Luke's, she was Lauren's
math teacher for four years. Lauren babysat her children as well. During the
service, McMullen spoke along with several of Lauren's friends. She called
Lauren a rare gem and told of her generosity of spirit.  Recently,  the
babysitter gave each of McMullen's children white, stuffed lambs at Easter,
one of which she held as she spoke. 
When the madness broke loose at the school, McMullen didn't give a thought
to the possibility that Lauren might be hurt. She picked her kids up from
school that day, and the first question out of her daughter's mouth was,
"How's Lauren?"

"And on that day I said, 'Oh, I'm sure she's fine.' And then the next day
was when I found out. And that was probably the hardest thing that I've ever
had to do, was tell my children." Especially now, they cherish those lambs,
she said.

The Rev. Bill Selby, former senior pastor at St. Luke's, conducted the
service. He decried the idea that God preordained the massacre. "Some I hear
this week saying, 'Well, it fits into God's plan. When God decides the time,
we will go.'   I protest . . .  tragedy is not God's will. We do not feel
betrayed by God when tragedy strikes. We can turn to God for help in
overcoming it precisely because we can tell ourselves that God is as
outraged as we are."

More than a time for grieving,  the service was a celebration of Lauren's
life. Friends and siblings recalling the times they had together-powdered
doughnut fights, rolling someone's house in toilet paper, making
"documentary" films of the family dog, inside jokes that most in attendance
still found amusing.
 
Harvey Eastman knows Lauren's father, Rick,  from the United Methodist Men's
group at St. Luke's. Before the service, he talked about how he remembers
him telling about teaching Lauren to drive, how well she was doing in school
and in sports, how he was getting ready to send her off to college at
Colorado State.

Eastman said he only met Lauren once, but it was a memorable occasion.
Lauren accompanied her father to a United Methodist Men's fundraising
banquet which featured dancing to the music of a brass band.  

"We sat at their table," Eastman said.  "And periodically, he'd go up and
dance with her. And sometimes they would be the only people on the dance
floor and it was just beautiful watching them, father and daughter dancing."

In addition to the Townsends, Lauren is survived by her mother and
stepfather,  Dawn Anna, and Bruce Beck. Her siblings are Kristin Townsend,
Kathy Johnson, Kristy Svendsen, Matt Townsend, Josh Townsend, and Richard
Hirschman.

Speaking during the service, Lauren's brother Matt said some people have
referred to her as a victim. "I don't think of her in that way," he said
quietly. "The ugly thing that happened last Tuesday couldn't conquer her
beauty. She's not a victim. She lived for us, and we lived for her."

#  #  #

*Lewis is a freelance writer from Baton Rouge, La. 

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