Mississippi University for Women paid tribute to four students lost in a January motel fire Thursday as it planted four redbud trees in their memory in front of the dorm they shared.
The memorial won”t be the last time MUW honors late freshmen Jaslynn McGee of Corinth, Jamelia Brown of Grenada, and Catherine Ann Muse and Alondan Turner of Cordova, Ala.; but rather served as the final reminder for the semester and year they were lost.
“(The memory) won”t be closed, but I think this offers closure for this semester since the students are going home and we”re leaving for the summer,” said Sirena Parker, director of Community Living at MUW.
Family members of the late students concurred with Parker”s sentiment.
“There”ll never be closure,” said Bernard McGee, Jaslynn McGee”s father. “It”s important that (MUW) did this, but I would say of the loss of my daughter there will never be closure to it. I”ll always remember her and there will be some grieving I think the rest of my life. But it gets better day by day.”
Parker says the trees serve as a fitting reminder of the four students because they”re hard to miss and will always be at MUW, across from Kincannon Hall.
“When these people walk out of Kincannon Hall, it just hits you right in the face. They”ll remember them when they come out. And when these students come back to visit Kincannon, they”ll see them,” she said.
The spot across from Kincannon is also a common location for campus programming, where students will walk past the trees and the marble markers commemorating each lost student.
The location has other memories, as well.
“I just remember standing right here on this corner crying when I dropped her off,” said Sandra Townes of her daughter, Jamelia Brown.
“I used to come here, it felt like, every week to pick them up. They didn”t want to come home,” said Anyea Muse, Catherine Muse”s father. “It”s unbelievable how many people they touched in their short time here. We could learn something from that. These young sisters came, and in 19 years look how many people they touched with their beautiful spirits.
“To be able to come here and see this and know that I could always come here and visit them, you don”t know what it means to me.”
During the ceremony, family members were honored with songs from MUW”s United Harmony Student Choir and a ceremonial releasing of seven doves by representatives from Carter”s Funeral Services as MUW student Simeon Weatherby played “I”ll Fly Away” on saxophone. Three of the doves represented the Trinity. Four represented the lost students.
The event moved many family members to tears. Others were stoically philosophical.
“All I can say is what comes from my heart,” began Marilyn Ramos, first cousin to both Catherine Muse and Alondan Turner. “These girls were just starting their lives and God pulled the ticket on them because he needed younger angels. Praise to God.”
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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