Marshall University Alumni Association

Crowd gathers for memorial
by Tomoko Horie

Parthenon, Issue date: 11/15/07

Media Credit: Brittany Twohig
A wreath stands in memory of those who died in the 1970 plane crash.

The memorial's guest speaker, Parker Ward, addresses the crowd. Ward's father died in the 1970 plane crash. Media Credit: Brittany Twohig

Representatives from the Ceredo Volunteer Fire Department bow their heads during the memorial service Wednesday. The Ceredo Volunteer Fire Department was the first emergency unit to respond to the 1970 plane crash 37 years ago. Media Credit: Brittany Twohig

A crowd of students gather during the annual memorial ceremony to remember the lives lost in the 1970 plane crash. Media Credit: Brittany Twohig

The water in the fountain was silenced, but the memories of plane crash victims were celebrated by a solemn crowd on Wednesday.

Thirty-seven years ago on Nov. 14, 1970, an airplane crash claimed the lives of 75 people when the Marshall football team was returning from a game in Greenville, N.C.

"What happened in a quick few seconds forever changed the directions of many lives," guest speaker Parker Ward said during the ceremony.

Ward, who lost his father in the plane crash, said his father graduated from Marshall in 1940 was an active person in the community.

Ward said the plane crash was the beginning of one dark and emotional chapter for many families who lost their loved ones that night. Ward's mother, who was 34 at the time, had to take care of four children after she lost her husband in the accident.

"Looking back, I am grateful for her faith and strength," Ward said. "She was a wonderful mother and sacrificed a lot."

When Ward was 18 years old, he went to Elon College in North Carolina. He said he did not understand the far reaches of the crash back then.

"Faculty members that realized that I am from Huntington, W.Va. asked me if I knew about the crash," Ward said. "Many of the family members (who lost their family in the accident) know the next question, 'Did you know anybody?' Many times it was easier not to tell them that you knew anybody."

Ward said coming back to Huntington was natural for him because he still wants to get involved with Marshall and the community.

"The announcement of the movie brought back the memory of the painful time in our lives," Ward said. "Many survivors and family members has never returned to Huntington or even visited."

Marshall football head coach Mark Snyder said as victims' families got to know the other family members who also lost loved ones or best friends, they have been in the healing process.

"I think it is exciting because with healing comes hopes," Snyder said. "And hope, in my estimation, is the past giving us the experience and memories, the present giving us challenge and the opportunities and the future giving us vision and hope."

Ward said the annual ceremony is a time to see where he has been, where he is now and where he is going.

"As life goes on, I challenge you to remember," Ward said. "Hope is a good thing - maybe the best of things - and hope will never die."