Paige Sherrard, a freshman from Louisville, spoke May 13 during a memorial service for Laura Chaney, a freshman from Florence who died May 11. (WKU Photo by Clinton Lewis)
As four sisters of Sigma Kappa sorority sang, about 100 students and others filed into the Downing University Center Theatre on Wednesday to celebrate the life of a WKU student who died on Monday.
Laura Chaney, 18, a freshman communication major from Florence, Ky., collapsed in Gilbert Hall Monday morning and later died at the Medical Center at Bowling Green. While the official cause of death has not been released, it appears to be from natural causes.
“Death can’t separate us from love,” said Paige Sherrard, a Louisville freshman. Sherrard said Sigma Kappa and WKU “lost its brightest pearl and I lost one of my closest friends.”
Sherrard said Chaney had the ability to make anyone laugh, even when they didn’t want to. “I cherish every laugh we had together,” she said. “She made me a better person. She was a beautiful girl and an amazing person.”
Chaney’s sorority sisters alternately laughed and sobbed as photos of Chaney flashed across the screen. Following the memorial service, which also included inspirational readings and prayers, the sorority stood and sang as others left the room.
Survivors include her parents, Dave and Kay Chaney of Florence; brother, Allen Chaney of Florence; and grandparents, Alton and Betty Chaney.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. EDT Friday, May 15, at Linnemann Funeral Home in Burlington. Services will be 11 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 16, at First Church of Christ in Burlington.
Memorials may be made to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229; or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
The sorority is preparing a memorial book to present to her parents and a Facebook site, “Rest in Peace Dear Laura,” has been created and has more than 600 members.
