Newspaper Page Text
June 15, 2011
PAGE 3A
^Reporter
Large crowd mourns 18-year-old Rozier
Pallbearers Cody Hammond, Meshari Walton, Ronnie Hilburn, Brent Spires and Chris Murray carry Dalton Rozier’s casket to its grave on Sunday as friends
and family follow behind. (Photo/Laura Corley)
Barfield: Poor
choices in final
months a wake-
up call for teens
BY LAURA CORLEY
Dalton Rozier was remem
bered on Sunday as a kind-
hearted, well-liked young
man, but one whose final
months serve as a wake-up
call to teenagers going down
the wrong path.
Rozier died at the age of
18 on Wednesday after he
was ejected in a violent car
accident on June 3 in
Madison along Hwy. 83
after 6 a.m. He was flown
by helicopter to Grady
Hospital in Atlanta just
after the wreck, where he
remained in a coma until
his death.
Friends and family packed
into the Mary Persons High
School gym for the funeral
on Sunday, followed by a
procession to Macon
Memorial Park Cemetery on
Mercer University Drive.
Attendees wore bright colors
at the request of the family.
At the service, Rozier’s
closest friends, McCall
Trammell, Steven Wojcio
and Chandler Williams,
shared with the crowd some
of their most cherished
memories of him.
Hundreds of mourners
wiped their eyes with tis
sues as Trammell spoke.
“I cannot put into words
what Dalton means to me,
but if anyone here believes
that they have a best friend
who they love as much as I
love him, do not take them
for granted.” Trammell said.
“Hug them. Forgive them.
Cherish them and love
them.”
One of the most memo
rable qualities that Rozier
possessed, according to his
friends and family, was his
charming nature and his
ability to “live it big”.
Forsyth United Methodist
Church youth minister Jody
Barfield spoke on behalf of
Rozier’s parents, Vanessa
and Allan Rozier, urging
them to learn from Rozier’s
short life.
“Dalton made some bad
decisions these past few
months. It’s no secret.”
Barfield said. “This needs to
be a wake up call.”
Barfield said that Rozier’s
father wants more than
anything for something good
to come out of the tragic
accident. He said it is
important to find ways that
people can learn from
Rozier’s mistakes, and self
discipline is key.
Class of 2010 vice presi
dent Dee Sidney shared his
memories of Rozier’s school
spirit and involvement in
class activities and pep ral
lies. Sidney said Rozier was
always willing to help him
with school events in any
way, even if he was notified
at the last minute. A piece of
the class flag was presented
to the Rozier family in
memory of Dalton.
With an outgoing and laid-
back personality, Dalton
Rozier did not meet a
stranger. He had a magnetic
personality and charm.
“I got this,” Rozier would
say in response to any issue
before him.
Rozier excelled in athletics
and was the kicker for Mary
Persons football team and
was a top-rated soccer
goalie. In lieu of flowers, the
family requested donations
be made to Mary Persons
soccer or football booster
clubs.
Charges against the driver
of the vehicle, Austin
Bustos, are pending accord
ing to Georgia State Patrol
in Madison. Bustos attend
ed the visitation and funer
al. Bustos told the Reporter
the two teens were on their
way to Athens to see
Rozier’s girlfriend. Rozier
had been a student at UGA.
The state patrol said the
pair was riding in a white
1998 Ford Escort that
belonged to Brandy
Hunnicutt when Bustos
went speeding through a
curve, lost control, left the
shoulder, overturned and
struck a group of trees.
Rozier was ejected from the
vehicle. Bustos suffered
minor injuries, and the state
patrol said there was evi
dence they had been drink
ing.
Marion Joseph hugs
one of the Honduran
children sh’e’s been
helping.
Forsyth gifts mean school addition in Honduras
A Forsyth woman learned earlier
this month that her efforts to raise
money for a new after-school build
ing for Honduran children have
paid off big time.
Marion Joseph of Forsyth raised
about $2,000 last year from a yard
sale and donations from locals. Her
dream was to raise enough money
to add on to the small building in
the Honduran capital of
Tegucigalpa where last year she
found 240 kids crammed into a
small cinderblock building with one
light.
And on June 2, Joseph, who's been
writing to 10 of the children for four
years, got word that Compassion
International is adding $24,000 to
her donation to fund the entire
addition.
"Your prayers have been
answered," Kirk Winter of
Compassion International told her
by phone Thursday.
"They usually are!" responded a
joyful Joseph.
Joseph became determined to help
the kids after visiting Honduras
with her son Louis. There she saw
how desperate kids were for food,
how little they had and yet how
much they loved.
"We've got to do something,"
Joseph said, going right to work
raising money.
And now, Colorado Springs, Col.-
based Compassion International
has found some donors to raise the
full amount for the expansion. She
thanked all her Monroe County
friends and neighbors who donated
items, time and prayer to the effort.
Joseph said after her letter
appeared in the Reporter soliciting
donations last fall she was inundat
ed with gifts. She said construction
should begin right away, and that
all the labor will be free because
locals will do the work voluntarily.
The after-school program is run by
Compassion International.
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