Slocum Celebrates Bittersweet Homecoming
Festivities Tempered by Tragic Accident
By Jason Jones
Messenger Reporter
SLOCUM – On the surface, Slocum ISD’s annual Homecoming celebration Saturday evening may have seemed like any other at any given time. Students, faculty, and families, however, arrived under a somber cloud of sadness due to the tragic and sudden passing of Sophomore student and basketball player Stratton Wendell Thursday night.
The Homecoming Court was presented and the 2022 King and Queen were crowned. Freshmen Tucker Sloan and Jaycee Bridges, Sophomores Gracie Sparkman and Zach Coble, and Juniors Annie Cockerham and Julian Young made up the Homecoming Court. Senior candidates for King included Jose Molina, Caleb Beasley and Mark Guess while Senior Queen candidates were Alaina Rains-Love, Abby Taylor and Marlee Lasiter. Once the ballots were counted, Molina and Rains-Love accepted their crowns before a capacity crowd.
Hearts and minds, however, were on Stratton Saturday night.
Reminders were everywhere. Number 20 adorned the faces of Slocum cheerleaders. Ribbons with the number were worn by faculty, staff, and all of those involved in the coronation. Even the Mustangs opponents for the evening showed up ready to stand in unity. The Latexo Lady Tigers and cheerleaders wore blue ribbons in their hair while the Tigers wove blue ribbons into their shoelaces. The tragedy had profoundly affected the entire community.
A moment of silence was observed prior to the girls’ tipoff, and the boys met at Stratton’s chair on the sideline to lay out his jersey, shoes, and a single rose. Both games were won by Slocum, and while the victories were hard-fought, the outcomes seemed an afterthought as players from Slocum and Latexo met at center court after the Mustang’s victory to tearfully honor the fallen player and say a prayer. Out in the parking lot, Stratton’s friends gathered at his regular parking spot. They decorated the space and left mementos in his honor as they leaned on each other for support and comfort.
As quoted in Stratton’s obituary, “Stratton was and always will be remembered as everyone’s best friend. In the time we all had with him, he touched an untold amount of lives. He approached life with the happiness and determination that came from putting God and others first. While Stratton’s time was cut short, there is no one that he touched whose life wasn’t made better for knowing him. He was an encourager to some, a teammate to many, but he was a FRIEND TO ALL.”
A celebration of life will be held at 3:00 PM, on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, in the Slocum High School gymnasium. Graveside services will be at 10:00 AM, on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at Tennessee Colony Cemetery.
“The Full Measure of a man is not to be found in the man himself, but in the colors and textures that come alive in others because of him.” – Albert Schweitzer
The Messenger wishes to extend its deepest condolences and prayers for the family and friends of Stratton Wendell as well as the entire Slocum community.
Jason Jones may be reached via email at [email protected]
