“She was a wonderful, good child. She was smart, amazing…and the absolute best mother who loved her children more than life itself,” Melissa Smith said of her late daughter, Ciara Loux, who died in a car accident on October 1, 2018. “She was fun-loving. She touched a lot of lives and loved her family and friends.”
From the gesture made by her classmates this past December, it’s easy to see that her friends cared about Ciara too. The EGHS Class of 2007 recently purchased a 12’ long memorial bench that has been installed at Fishpond Park, a place where Ciara, and her friends, spent a lot of time while growing up since she lived just down the street.
“She is the first classmate we have lost. The idea actually came from the Eagle (newspaper) when I was on a flight down to Miami and reading the story on the Kaufman bench donated for Jan Rowen. I put (the idea) out to the class and they were all on board,” said Jared Locke.
He is proud to say that 100% of the funds raised were internally contributed by Ciara’s fellow 2007 classmates to replace an old bench at Fishpond park with this new one in her honor. The class was able to raise about $1,500 and has $200 left over that they will be using to start a class fund, according to Locke. He added that this project was a true “group effort.”
“We had over 20 donors which is over one-third of our class, multiple volunteers helped to install and assemble the bench (Kenny Kreitlow and Laura Dicke led this effort), volunteers that coordinated with the family (Jordon Whipple) as well as design input and everything in between. We probably collaborated better on this than anything we ever did in high school.” said Locke
Kreitlow said he was happy to be able to help install the bench. Although he had never done anything like this before, his brother owns a construction company and was able to borrow the tools he needed from him.v “I was really hoping to get it installed before Christmas…and we did,” said Kreitlow.
And it was just in time, they got it installed the day before the big snowstorm came, which allowed them to have a December 26, 2020 dedication ceremony at the park with many people who loved Ciara gathering to celebrate her life.
“I don’t even really know how to describe Ciara…she just liked everybody. She was one of the neatest people I knew,” said Kreitlow.
“I really appreciate this class of 2007, each and every one of them,” said Smith. “This has put a little healing in my heart, and that’s pretty good. It just makes my heart happy and it’s amazing that this has happened.”
Smith admitted that as a parent who has lost a child, one of her biggest fears is that her daughter will be forgotten, but now she knows this will never happen. She said she believes this bench will also bring a little comfort and healing to Ciara’s four children as well – Jessie Morris Jr., Jorja Morris, Jaggar Morris, and Morgan Stephenson. It’s no surprise that since Fishpond Park was a favorite place of hers as a child, and the fact that Ciara also took her own children there, and they went there for Boy Scouts since two of her kids are involved with that, that this was the perfect spot for the bench to be placed.
Now that the bench is there in memory of their mom, Smith said “It’s going to be a very nice place for them to go and play, and know their mother’s name is right there.”
Smith hopes others enjoy the bench as well.
“I hope that when they sit there, they see the beauty out there and associate it with Ciara because she was such a beautiful soul,” she said.
“On behalf of our class, I would like to say that Ciara will always be in our hearts as a friend, a mother, and our classmate. Her laugh is unforgettable and a reminder of the good times we had when we were young, wild, and free,” said Laura Dicke. “I think we are all amazed how well the bench project came together, our class’ willingness, and the location of the bench could not be more fitting as many of us have memories with her at Fishpond Park. We hope her children, family and friends will know she was very much loved and will be missed by her class of 2007.”
“The love and support we have received from the Class of 2007 has been amazing. It’s a wonderful thing. A huge thank you,” said Smith.
She also noted the kindness of many community members since the loss of her daughter, commenting how much all the love and support has meant to her, Ciara’s children, and her father – Quinn Loux.
“Ciara is missed by many.”
