Photo of the Week: Generations

Baby Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna meets her great grandmother Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, 1896

Photo of the Week: Hands on hips

 

In Memoriam: Matthew Joesph Kechter

From aColumbineSite:

Born February 19, 1983

16 years old

Matt Kechter was a sturdy 210-pound sophomore: He played on both the offensive and defensive lines of the football team. He's remembered for his ready laugh. He was a weight lifter and an 'A' student, always getting good grades in school.

"When I heard he was one of the ones from the library, it only made sense," said sophomore basketball player and close friend Greg Barnes. "He was always in the library studying. He always put academics first," Greg said of Matt. "He had straight A's but he would never brag about it. I kinda looked up to him because of it. He was never in a bad mood, he was consistenly happy." Tragically, Greg committed suicide shortly after the 1st anniversary of the shootings at Columbine.

Matt was in the library studying when the shooting began. He had been seated at a table with his friend, Craig Scott (brother of victim Rachel Scott). When the teacher ran in and told everyone to get down, both boys hid under the table they had been sitting at and were joined by Matt's fellow athlete and friend, Isaiah Shoels. After the shooters entered the library they shot several people before Dylan Klebold spotted Isaiah and called Eric Harris's attention to their table. The two gunmen made racial slurs toward the black boy and then Harris shot him at close range. Klebold fired on Matt next, hitting him in the chest. Matt died sometime later in the library where he lay.

"He was a wonderful role model for his little brother," his parents wrote in a statement that was read at his funeral at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church on April 27. "Their brotherhood had just recently developed into a bonding friendship ... In Matt's heart, there was always enough room for everyone to be victorious."

Days after the shooting, his mother Ann slept in his dirty clothes just to feel close to her son. In 2001, Ann and Joe fostered an 8-year-old girl. Two years later, they adopted her.

"We were not trying to replace Matt, but we have a lot of love to give," Ann said. "We feel more complete as a family."

The University of Colorado (where Matt had planned to attend) sent his younger brother Adam one of their jerseys bearing Matt's name and the jersey number he wore, 70, as part of Columbine's football team. The Columbine High School football team all wore ribbons bearing his old jersey number were asked to dedicate the next season to Matt's memory at his funeral service. Matt was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

In September of 1999, Matt Kechter was posthumously accepted into the National Honor Society.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7036123/matthew_joseph-kechter/photo#view-photo=166281386

Photo of the Week: Officer and a Duchess

 

Anastasia standing on a bench with an officer.

Photo of the Week: Imperial yacht Standart

Or perhaps the Polar Star.

Pokémon Blue Playthrough part 50: Victory Road

Photo of the Week: Uncle Ernie

Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse goofing around with his nieces Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana

Photo of the Week: Rocky Beach

Grand Duchess Tatiana with a young relative on a very rocky beach.

In Memoriam: Lauren Dawn Townsend

From aColumbineSite:

Born January 17, 1981

18 years old

Lauren Townsend was a senior and captain of the girls' varsity volleyball team, which her mother, Dawn Anna, coached. She was a member of the National Honor Society and was a candidate for valedictorian of her graduating class. Lauren was a talented sketch artist as well. Nicknamed "Lulu," she was a straight 'A' student - she never got a 'B'. She volunteered at a local animal shelter and had planned to major in biology at Colorado State University when she graduated from Columbine.

Lauren was in the library with her friends (Lisa Kreutz, Diwata Perez, Valeen Schnurr, and Jeanna Park) when the shooting began. She hid beneath the table with them when the teacher told everyone to get down. Finding herself beside a frightened Val Schnurr, Lauren put her arm around her, drew her closer and told her everything would be okay.

After several minutes of hearing the gunmen taunt and shoot other people hiding in the library, one of the killers - Dylan Klebold - came to Lauren's table. He opened fire, injuring Lisa and Val. He fired again, as fast as his weapon would shoot, hitting Lauren several times. A few minutes later Eric Harris came back around the table and shot beneath it again. He hit Lauren again, but she didn't feel it — she was already dead.

She died on the floor of the library from multiple wounds to the head, chest and lower body. Her funeral was held at Foothills Bible Church where her brother Josh played a tribute video filled with moments from her life. Many of her teachers spoke at her funeral, commending her gentle nature and loving spirit as well as her academic excellence. Her coffin was a white one that people attending her funeral could write on, much like one would sign a yearbook. Her father wrote: "Lulu, you'll always be my baby."

She was buried in Littleton Cemetery in Littleton, Colorado.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7036115/lauren-dawn-townsend

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7036115/lauren-dawn-townsend

Pokémon Blue Playthrough part 49: Viridian Gym & Giovanni