Our heart bleeds with the family of Corbin Hillaker, as loosing a child of any age, is and always will be, the worst possible thing to happen to parents. We grieve profoundly and sincerely for this young life and his siblings taken so young.
Wendover showed his sorrow and support, and came together in a vigil in the honor of those three kids and in particular in honor of Corbin Hillaker.
Many stayed silent, but their presence talked loud. A few did speak and voiced what most of everybody else was thinking.
We know as a child, we saw our mother and father grieve profoundly for our 21 year old brother, who died in a car crash coming to the bar-mitzvah of an other brother of ours. Later on, we lost yet an other brother to thieves who killed for money and greed, while that brother who was a young jeweler, was delivering a beautiful piece of his making. Our mother never recovered from the second occurrence.
And so just like no words can heal, and the pain can just dull over time but never can go away, we sympathize with the family and friends.
In contrast, Gene L. Jones will be missed but we all know that he had a long and productive life, so the sorrow is quiet and subtle. He did protected this country by serving in the military in War World II. And he did served this community by leaving here and working at the State Line for 46 years. And this town didn’t forget, and named the street who goes to the City building after him.
We also learned sadly of the passing a few weeks ago of an other beloved long time Wendover resident, Ginger Purcell. She babysat our kids a few times, mostly our two oldest, and many many other kids around Wendover. Everybody new Ginger, and we all remember her foundly. Then she also worked at the West Wendover High school, and many other kids learned to appreciate her. But the kids she took care of were “her kids”, and they all loved her.
But before all of that, she had a whole different career promoting and managing her partner and husband Warren Purcell, a Country Music local boy. She is survived by her son Justin Purcell.
Rest in peace all of you Corbin, Jessica, Tate, Gene, Ginger.