Union College - Stespean Yearbook (Barbourville, KY)

Page 16 text:

You are here Defora M.Wayne in A By Linda Bates The date is Oct. 3, 1987. The weather is warm and beautiful. Support for Union College foot- ball team can be heard although Lambuth is defeating them. Peo- ple sit and take in the warm sun, enjoying each other ' s company. The joy and peace we feel is about to end. For on this day Debra Marie Wayne, 19, and Dar- rell Edward Wayne, 17, both of Asher, Ky., will lose their lives in a car accident. As news of the disaster starts to slowly seep through the campus, a veil of sorrow envelops the family here at Union. Debra and Darrell ' s friends begin to realize the special gift that they were given by the two who shared their thoughts, feel- ings and love. Debra Marie Wayne was a vital, vivacious young woman. She enjoyed her life, always mak- ing the best of even the most im- possible situations, comments her roommate Alexis Southard. She was the best friend I ' ve ever had and the best one I ever will have. Debbie, as her friends call her, was an early elementary educa- tion major who enjoyed all types of music. Debra was a caring person who would do anything for her friends. No matter what anyone did to her, she never wished them any harm, continues Southard. She wanted to be a teacher who takes an interest in the welfare of her students beyond the classroom. Debbie first attended Union her freshman year in 1985. She was of- ferred a job in Lexington, so she went to the University of Ken- tucky for her sophomore year. Debbie soon became homesick for Union because of the closeness and unity of people on campus, so she returned this year for her junior year. Debbie and Darrell were not strangers to Union. They had both been a part of the Upward Bound program on campus before 12

Page 15 text:

YOU in student life

Page 17 text:

our memories.... Darrell E. Wayne attending Union. They became very close to all the people in the program. Darrell met his friend and roommate Jeff Smith while in the Upward Bound program. Darrell was a true friend. If anyone was in need, he was there to lend a hand, says Smith. He was a happy person and wanted the people around him to be hap- py also. Darrell loved Hank Williams Jr., and country music as well as sports. He loved to play football, says Smith, but he wasn ' t en- thusiastic about going to college- I think he was doing it for his family, not himself-it wasn ' t his goal to go through college. Smith comments that Darrell was close to his family and would often come back from the weekend talking about his grand- mother. He admired Debra, says Smith. He was proud that she was his sister. She was Darrell ' s mother. She watched over him and took care of him, says Southard. She was also Darrell ' s friend. He ' d tell her his problems and she ' d solve them. The bond between them was upheld by Darrell. Darrell and Debra loved each other very much, just as we loved them. Although we are terribly saddened that they are gone from us, we feel that they are happy now because they are together. remember you always making me laugh, when I was determined to cry. remember you showing me back into life, when I stopped to let it pass by. remember you facing the world with a smile, though sometimes it frowned in return. remember you teaching me so many things, although you were here to learn. remember you making the rain look like sunshine, and the sunshine look like heaven tself. remember the love that you gave. It is now a great port of my soul and myself. 13