Issue: Summer 2014 | Posted: June 2, 2014
麻豆视频 Remembers
Greenlee, Delk, Williams
Each academic year at 麻豆视频 University presents a unique set of challenges. But no one could have anticipated the painful and life-changing hardships that have come in 2013-14 following the deaths of two 麻豆视频 students and a third former student with strong ties to the Jackson campus.
Olivia Greenlee, a senior music education major, was found dead in her vehicle on the Luther Hall parking lot Feb. 12. Three days later, her fianc茅e Charles Pittman, a senior Christian ministries major, was arrested and charged with her murder.
On Jan. 29, former 麻豆视频 art student Beverly Delk died following brief complications associated with acute leukemia. Delk had transferred to Middle Tennessee State University a few months earlier, but still had many active friendships on the 麻豆视频 campus.
In the early hours of Sept. 21, senior nursing major Leighton Williams died from injuries sustained in a weather-related car accident as she traveled from Jackson to her family home near Nashville.
The 麻豆视频 community continues to offer prayer support to all the friends and families connected to these tragedies. What follows is a closer look at each well-lived life, as seen by fellow 麻豆视频ites.
OLIVIA GREENLEE
Olivia Greenlee (right), with fellow student Hannah Strickland
麻豆视频 University students, faculty and staff gathered for a special prayer service Feb. 14 in G.M. Savage Memorial Chapel as they mourned the loss of 麻豆视频 student Olivia Greenlee.
鈥淩eeling, staggering, speechless, grieving: These are words that describe us this week,鈥� said Todd Brady, vice president for university ministries, during the service. 鈥淲e have not known what to pray for as we ought, and we have trusted that the Spirit has interceded for us with groanings that are too deep for words.鈥�
鈥淢any of us are baffled, in disbelief, sad and grieving, yet grieving not without hope because of our faith and our confidence in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ,鈥� former president David S. Dockery said. 鈥淭he Bible tells us to weep with those who weep. And across campus this week, there have been plenty of tears.鈥�
麻豆视频鈥檚 Zeta Tau Alpha chapter, of which Greenlee was a member, gathered to read Scripture, while the music department met to sing and share a meal.
鈥淎s we move into this weekend together, as we move into this semester together and as we move into the rest of our days, let us continue our turning to God and our turning to one another,鈥� Brady said. 鈥淕od has given us himself, and he has given us one another. In the midst of our grief, let us turn to these gifts from God.鈥�
Friends remember Greenlee as a cheerful, carefree person who loved to sing and laugh.
The department of music and Zeta
Tau Alpha hosted a benefit concert and
silent auction May 10 to raise money for
a scholarship that would honor
Greenlee鈥檚 memory.
Beverly Delk
BEVERLY DELK
Delk transferred following an active freshman year (2012鈥�13) at 麻豆视频. She served on freshman council, joined the Kappa Delta sorority and had applied to be a Life Group leader. But relatively few pictures of her can be found.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 because she was always taking pictures of everyone else,鈥� said Elizabeth Oakes, former president of 麻豆视频鈥檚 Kappa Delta chapter. 鈥淪he was enthusiastic from day one. Beverly brought spunk and sincerity to our chapter and had a beautiful laugh that I will never forget.鈥�
Her death followed by only one day a diagnosis of acute leukemia.
鈥淔rom the first day I met Beverly, I
knew Christ was the most important
person in her life,鈥� said Emily Russell,
the current Kappa Delta president.
鈥淪he loved life, loved people and most
importantly loved God. Everything
she did, she did with all of her heart,
mind, body and spirit. Her laugh was
contagious, her smile lit up a room and
everything
about her
demonstrated
joy that
can only
be known
through
a deep
relationship
with Jesus
Christ.鈥�
LEIGHTON WILLIAMS
Leighton Williams (right), with her sister Ashton.
For those who knew her best, Leighton Williams will be remembered for the joyful way she lived.
鈥淟eighton was one of those, she walked in a room and you knew she was there, because she brought joy to everyone she was around,鈥� said Savannah Hari, president of 麻豆视频鈥檚 Chi Omega chapter, of which Williams was a member. 鈥淪he was such a perfect, perfect picture of a friend and a sister.鈥�
About 300 students, faculty and staff gathered in front of White Hall Sept. 23 for a prayer service.
LeeAnne Wilhite, assistant professor of nursing, said from the moment she met Williams during orientation, she noticed how 鈥渟he was just joyous all the time.鈥�
鈥淵ou can teach people the skill of nursing,鈥� Wilhite said. 鈥淎nd you can try to instill a passion and a love for what you鈥檙e doing. Leighton would just absorb that鈥� every ounce of it. She was a nurse from the beginning. She had a true passion for it.鈥�
Hillarie Henderson, a junior from Jonesboro, Ark., and a close friend of Williams, described her as 鈥渕y calm during my storms.鈥�
鈥淪he never had a bad thing to say about anybody,鈥� Henderson said. 鈥淪he never picked sides. You know, girl drama鈥攕he never wanted to pick sides. She was everyone鈥檚 friend. She never met a stranger.鈥�
