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Clippings On Brandy's Death
Early morning accident claims area teen's life
By Pat Ivey
CN Staff Reporter
An early morning accident has claimed
the life of an 18-year-old Blytheville woman, according to Arkansas State
Trooper Tony Crowell.
Crowell said the accident occurred
at 7:45 a.m. today at the intersection of State Highway 18 and 137 at the
Armorel turnoff. An 18-wheeler driven by Scott Holder of Walnut Ridge
was traveling west on Highway 18 near Armorel, when a pickup truck driven
by 18-year-old Brandy Welch failed to yield at a stop sign at the intersection
of State Highway 137 and Highway 18.
The semi was unable to stop, and
hit the pickup truck in the center of the driver's side. The pickup
truck then struck a vehicle by 48-year-old Billie McDonald of Blytheville,
who was stopped in the turn lane on Highway 18 attempting to turn on to
Highway 137.
Holder and McDonald were not injured
in the accident. Welch was taken by ambulance to Baptist Memorial
Hospital-Blytheville, where she was pronounced dead.
Crowell said the incident is still
under investigation, and no citations have been issued at this time.
A makeshift memorial has sprung up at the intersection
where Brandy Welch was killed in a traffic accident Tuesday near the Armorel
School.
Community heartbroken after death of teen
By Tena Furnish
CN Staff Reporter
The small community of Armorel is
heartbroken today after the death of 18-year-old Brandy Welch Tuesday in
a traffic Accident. The school flag is at half-mast, and a makeshift
memorial with flowers and ribbons has been created at the stop sign where
the accident occurred. Welch graduated from Armorel High School last spring.
About 75 percent of the high school
students left after the tragedy Tuesday, which happened right as the school
day began. Welch had apparently just dropped off her sister, who
is a seventh grader.
School officials are striving to
help their students cope. "We had counselors available all day yesterday,
and they are here today also. The principal went from class to class
yesterday, talking to the students and telling them if they needed help
to come to us or the counselors. The counselors were busy yesterday,
and talked to quite a few kids," Administrative Assistant Lisa Wallace
explained.
While a student, Welch was on the
basketball team. Members of the team wore her number, 10, at a game
Tuesday night.
"She had been on the basketball
team, and a game was scheduled last night. The coaches talked to
the players, and they said they believed Brandy would have wanted them
to play. They wore badges with her number on their uniforms last
night during the game." Wallace explained.
School will close early Thursday
to allow students to attend the funeral, which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Brandy Lynn
Welch
Ms. Brandy Lynn Welch, 18, of Blytheville,
died Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1999, at Baptist Blytheville Memorial Hospital-Blytheville.
Born Aug. 8, 1981, in Blytheville, the daughter of John Lesley Welch Jr.
and Trudy Lynn Loyd Welch, she was a lifelong resident of Blytheville and
a student at Mississippi County Community College.
While attending Armorel High School,
she was Future Homemakers of America secretary, Beta Club secretary, Future
Business Leaders of America secretary, Student Council historian, Girls
State delegate, Junior Red Cross co-chairman, prom queen, Who's Who Among
High School Students, a member of Future Farmers of America, Spanish Club,
Science Club, Drama Club, the basketball team, a cheerleader, a member
of the annual staff, blood drive, Quiz Bowl team and track team.
Ms. Welch leaves her parents, John
Lesley Welch Jr. and Trudy Lynn Loyd Welch of Blytheville;
One sister, Amber Michelle Welch
of Blytheville;
Her fiancé, James Raney of
Blytheville;
Her grandparents, Virginia Mae perkins
of Blytheville and Cora Mae Welch of Hosston, La.;
Her grandfathers, Melvin Loyd of
Baytown, Texas, and John Lesley Welch Sr. of Hosston;
Her step grandmother, Maria Loyd
of Baytown;
Her step-grandfather, "Von" Perkins
of Blytheville: and
Her great-grandmother, Ruth Taylor
of Blytheville.
Funeral SErvices will be conducted
at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the Cobb Funeral Home Chapel, with the Revs. Rick
Brothers and Mike Welch officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood
Cemetery.
The family will receive visitors
from 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Players are wearing Brandy Welch's number, 10, on
their shoes in her memory; Friday's homecoming game is dedicated to her.
Welch died in an auto accident one week ago today in front of the Armorel
school.
Players and coach cling to memory of lost friend and
player
By Mike McCurry
CN Sports
A young girls walks into a gym for
her first basketball practice of the season. No matter how hard the
drills were or if the team lost a game she would always have a smile and
an enthusiastic word to say to her teammates and coach.
Brandy Lynn Welch passed away last
Tuesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Blytheville. She is the young
lady to whom I am referring.
Brandy had a special impact on the
sport of basketball at Armorel. She was an inspiration to all who
knew her. Brandy played the game with a love that few others had.
She gave her full effort every time that she stepped onto the floor.
I had the privilege of getting to
know Brandy as the assistant boy's coach and also as a substitute teacher
and a friend. She was a special young lady who could always make
me and the others around her laugh.
After her death last Tuesday the
boys' team had a game scheduled that evening. The boys were gathered
into a classroom and told that it would be their choice to play the game
or it could be canceled. With tears in their eyes and full of grief,
the players huddled together and told their coach that they would like
to go ahead and play because that is what Brandy would want them to do.
During the funeral the girls' team
met at the casket and signed a basketball in loving memory of one of their
own. As her coach put the ball next to Brandy all of us who had known
her felt a sense or pride, love and loss.
Sports are important to many people,
but this heartbreaking and trying experience has taught me and many others
one very important lesson. To love and appreciate those who play
the sport for as long as God graces us with their presence.
Armorel is a community in which
I am proud to live. My basketball players and friends are like my
own family to me. The community showed that with the loss of one
so loved that by binding together and supporting one another we can survive
anything.
Brandy Welch, MCCC student, mourned by college
Brandy Welch, 18, was killed October
19th in an automobile crash. A lifelong resident of Blytheville,
she was a student at MCCC who had graduated last spring from Armorel High
School.
Brandy was an outstanding student
who was involved in many phases of student life.
She continued her academic pursuits
here at the college where she was also a work study student. June
Walters, Dean of Student Services and Registrar, said, "We are saddened
by this horrible tragedy. Brandy was a lovely young woman, a good
student and an excellent employee. She will certainly be missed."
The staff, faculty and fellow students
all join in expressing their deep grief to Ms. Welch's family.
John L. and Trudy Welch (right) presented a basketball
to Joseph Cornelison, superintendent of Armorel Schools, recently.
The basketball was signed by all of Brandy Welch's Lady Tiger teammates.
Basketball signed in memory of Welch
By Amanda Woodruff
AHS Reporter
On Oct.19, Armorel suffered the tragic
loss of one of its graduates. Brandy Welch suffered fatal injuries
in a car accident. Family members and friends are still trying to
cope with this great loss.
Brandy graduated from Armorel High School
in 1999. She then attended MCCC. While at Armorel school she
played basketball in grades seven through 12. Brandy was engaged
to James Raney.
In order to help themselves and others
get through the loss, the welch family requested that a basketball be signed
by players from the 1997-99 Lady Tiger basketball team.
This ball will be placed on display, along
with Brandy's number 10 jersey, in the gym when a case is built.
According to Coach Joey, "This allowed
the girls and myself to acquire some closure. It also signifies how
close athletes can grow together with teammates and their coach during
the high school years. As a coach, my first goals are for the girls
to gain life skills so they can succeed and contribute back to society.
Their response in this situation has proved the maturity they have gained
as they continue their education at Armorel."
Thank You From The Welch's
John L, Trudy & Amber
Welch & James Raney
These are some of Brandy's senior pictures. The first one
is of Brandy and James.