Kathy Reynolds died tragically in a small plane crash over Thanksgiving break our sophmore year. Her passing was difficult on many classmates and staff members. She was smart, sweet and funny and is still remembered fondly by many of us. Her remembrance stone still remains in the front garden inside the circle at Andrews.
I lived only a few streets away from Kathy, so we rode the bus together every morning. I remember when she started Andrews in ninth grade, her warmth, humor, friendliness, caring and outgoing nature made her popular instantly but she never let it get to her head and often made an effort to think of others. I remember eating alone at lunch several times and she would come over and sit with me and talk with me, which she didn't have to do. The bus dropped us off several miles from home each afternoon, at a stop by a local restaurant, and we'd talk while waiting to be picked up. She'd often "sneak" smokes, too, lol, swearing me to secrecy if her aunt or uncle talked to me when one or the other picked her up.
There was definitely a reason why she was nicknamed "Special K." There was a real worldliness about her well beyond her age, and I think that was largely due to what she'd already endured at only fifteen. Losing her mother at a young age and then her father as well (also in a plane crash), having to uproot her life and live with her uncle and aunt, made her realize just how fragile and precious life really is and also gave her a good sense of what was really important in life.
I'll never forget that morning at the bus stop, after Thanksgiving break, when I heard what had happened. I think a lot of us really grew up that day.
Kathy Reynolds died tragically in a small plane crash over Thanksgiving break our sophmore year. Her passing was difficult on many classmates and staff members. She was smart, sweet and funny and is still remembered fondly by many of us. Her remembrance stone still remains in the front garden inside the circle at Andrews.