Remembering Deidre

A MOTHER SAYS GOODBYE: Brenda Week puts pink roses on the casket of her daughter Deidre, 11, after schoolmates, family and friends say goodbye at the village of Port Edwards cemetery Wednesday. Deidre was killed Friday in a hit-and-run accident.

March 30, 1995

By LISA FOSTER

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

VESPER – There’s a lot of compassion in this community of 598.

With Friday night’s death of Deidre Week, 11-year-old daughter of Dave and Brenda Week, the village is pulling together to show its support and concern for the family’s loss.

Three residents – the Rev. Chester Osowski, Deborah Dederich and Kathryn Stuttgen – are planning a communitywide vigil for 7 p.m. April 9 at St. James Catholic Church, where Osowski is pastor.

Osowski said the interfaith “Reflections and Memories” service will include Scripture readings, reflections from members of the community, songs and poems. “It’s kind of a memorial evening,” he said. “It’s kind of a supportive gesture or affirmation for the family.”

Stuttgen, the girl’s piano teacher for the past two years, is encouraging people to attend. “Everybody’s invited, whatever religion. This is a chance to let people cry, to let their feelings be heard,” she said. “I feel we owe it to her and her family.”

“We wanted to do something community-based,” Dederich said. “The community is really having a hard time with this, and we just wanted to show the support of the community. We just wanted to bring our small town together.”

Support for the Week family is flowing out in other ways, too, the women said.

“Everybody’s looking out for each other, which I think is real unique,” Dederich said, and parents also are banding together. “Everyone’s who’s a parent is having a difficult time with it,” he said.

One of the ways support for the Week family is being shown is by the placement of pink ribbons on mailboxes.

“She always wore this pink jacket,” Struttgen said. “Pink was her favorite color, and it was obvious.”

Pink balloons were released by children and Deidre’s parents before her burial Wednesday in the village of Port Edwards cemetery, and notes of remembrances were attached.

At her funeral in United Methodist Church, Wisconsin Rapids, the girl’s classmates donated a Hopa tree and written passages of their memories of her to her parents.

Early today, the community sponsored a food drive at Vesper Elementary School. Donated items will be delivered to the family, Dederich said.

“Everyone is just focusing on being there, in whatever manner, for Brenda and Dave,” she said.”

TRIBUTE TO DEIDRE: Vesper Elementary School classmates of Deidre Week release pink ballons, Deidre’s favorite color, Wednesday at the village of Port Edwards cemetery.