St. Andrew's remembers 'whimsical' 7-year-old

Ashley McKenny and Ed Boice, Abilene Reflector-Chronicle, Kan.
·2 min read

Sep. 7—"I would use the word whimsical. That's just the word I always think of a lot of times singing or dancing in the classroom," said Shannon Woods, St. Andrew's Elementary School teacher, about Cecilia Graf.

Whimsical, helpful, spirited and loving were just a few words used to describe deceased Cecilia Graf during St. Andrew's Church's and St. Andrew's Elementary School's remembrance Sept. 1. St. Andrew's Church held a special mass followed by cupcakes, singing happy birthday and sharing memories of Graf in the elementary school.

Born in 2013, seven-year-old Cecilia Graf died Sept. 9, 2020, after she was hit by a 2008 Ford Focus while crossing 2200 Avenue to board a school bus. The Focus was driven by a 15-year-old driver. She lies in St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery.

"To remember she lived a very happy life," said Lacy Graf, Cecilia Graf's mother, about how she wants her daughter remembered. "It was short, but I want people to remember that she lived and not for the tragedy that took her from us but that she lived. She left an impact on so many people."

Following the mass, schoolmates, teachers and attendees gathered in the school gym as Christina Whitehair, St. Andrew's Catholic School principal, talked about heaven and how the children can remember Graf even now.

"She (Graf) was a very spirited child, very loving and kind to other children. She loved music and art and being outdoors," Whitehair said.

Afterwards, students and teachers enjoyed blue cupcakes, which was Graf's favorite color, said Whitehair.

On Sept. 7, students released butterflies into the wild to remember Graf, as she loved butterflies. The students raised the butterflies in their classroom.

Whitehair said the school will create a memorial to Graf in the music room and tornado shelter the school is building as part of the school's expansion project.

"That even through sorrow there is hope and that hope is real, it's nourishing and very much appreciated as the Lord continues to provide for us," Peter O'Donnell, St. Andrew's pastor, said during Graf's remembrance mass.