Memorial service planned for Comair victims

A memorial service will be held May 18 for victims of Comair flight 3272, including a University professor and a student.

Jones

"Initially, it will be open to family members and volunteers," said Vikie Koozman, administrative assistant to the Monroe County Board of Commissioners. "It will be sectioned off so the public will not be where the families are."

The plane crashed in early January, killing all 29 passengers on board, including Associate Rackham Dean and Theatre Prof. Betty Jean Jones and Mary Markley Resident Adviser and LSA senior Arati Sharangpani.

The non-denominational service is scheduled at 1 p.m. at the Roselawn Cemetery in LaSalle, Mich., but the caskets will be buried before the ceremony to avoid drawing a large public crowd, Koozman said.

"As far as drawing people in to see (the burial), it should be private," Koozman said.

During the service, a commemorative plaque will be presented.

The plaque will be purchased by Comair and engraved with the names of those who died in the crash, Koozman said.

Sharangpani

"Comair has done this in the past with other victims' memorial services," Koozman said.

Resident Advisers and students at Mary Markley residence hall said they were unaware of the planned memorial service.

"I would have liked to have known about the service," said Engineering first-year student Stacey Waxton.

"This is extremely frustrating because lots of us are stressed out and do not have the time (to pick up this information). I would love to pay tribute to those who were killed."

Markley Resident Director and LSA senior Chad Bailey said he was unaware of the memorial service.

"I hadn't heard anything about it," Bailey said.

Comair officials could not be reached for comment.

04-22-97