Prayers of love, strength and support flowed throughout the Mount Markham School District community last week as friends and family struggled to deal with a fatal car crash last Thursday that claimed the lives of three seniors set to graduate this June. The 1994 Geo Prizm driven by 17 year old Benjamin S. Stickles, of Burrows Road, West Winfield, was travelling northbound on Saxon Road in the town of Columbia when Stickles lost control. His car hit a tree on the westbound side of the road shortly before 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, according to information provided by the New York State Police. Stickles and his two passengers, Jessica Dupres, 17 of Gage Road, town of Columbia, and Lynda Light, 18, of Wall Street, West Winfield, were pronounced dead at the scene. Spring break week was winding down for area schools, but officials called in the crisis team to provide support services and counseling for students and staff, according to Casey Barduhn, superintendent of schools at Mount Markham. On Friday, Barduhn said “we’re in the process of making plans for Monday. We’re not sure if we will have counseling on Monday or not.” Out of the 1,400 enrolled kindergarten through 12th grade students, Barduhn said the three teens belonged to a class of 100. The class of 2006 is scheduled to graduate Friday, June 23. The prom is scheduled for May 13. “Certainly our thoughts, hearts and prayers go out to the families at this difficult time, and to the community as well. We all share in their grief,” Barduhn said. Along with school district members, Price Chopper officials and employees are also extending their support to the community and families, especially the Dupres family. On Friday morning, Price Chopper employees learned about the loss their co-worker, Rob Dupres, experienced the prior afternoon with the death of his eldest child and only daughter, Jessica, according to Frank Custodero, assistant store manager. “We just found out about it this morning. “We’ll be doing food and flowers for the family, and taking up a donation collection throughout the (regional) zone that includes 13 stores in Utica, Rome, Johnstown, Amsterdam, Norwich and Oneonta,” Custodero said. “Mr. Dupres is a very nice man, a good worker, with a very nice family. He’s an overall good person and all of our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time.” Coworker and friend Mike Dowd, also offered his sympathy and support for Dupres. “She was his only daughter and he always spoke so highly of her. He’s a very devoted father,” Dowd said. Calling Light “a city girl gone country,” Mitzi Hula, a member of the Herkimer County Dairy Association spoke of how involved Light was even though she was not a member. As a close friend of the former dairy princess, Amanda Nelson, Light “would always pitch in and help milk cows and throw hay,” Hula said. “Our prayers go out to the community and family,” Hula said. “You know, you hate to be a hovering parent, but you give birth to these kids. You diaper them, wipe their noses, and then to have to lose them at such a young age. “You just hope by the time they reach their teens that you’ve preached to them enough.” Friends and family of Stickler could not be reached for comment as of press time.
|