Family, colleagues, friends gather to honor Willoughby

They came together as a community.

Family, friends and faculty gathered Sunday for a memorial service in the Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall to remember the life of junior Gregory Willoughby.

“We knew he had friends here, but to actually hear them tell stories and share their memories, it was very cathartic,” said Andrea Wooley, Willoughby’s aunt.

Through the memories and stories invariably came the references to his smile and sense of humor. Willoughby was known to many as shy and reserved, but he also had a gift of making others laugh.

Speakers included Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson, Rev. Patricia Efiom and assistant professor of psychology Sharlene Newman. Several friends and classmates of Willoughby also shared memories.

After friends shared stories of his humor, Wooley spoke on behalf of the deceased student’s family. Willoughby loved roller coasters and dancing the electric slide.

He was a fantastic singer, though he refused to sing in public. He was competitive. He loved to study the Bible and worship at church.

He didn’t believe in ironing — that’s what the drier is for. He liked playing Scrabble, but mostly he liked winning.

Their stories, of memories from Disneyland to dorm life, painted the picture of a beloved individual. Through it all, a projected photo of Willoughby covered the backdrop of the stage — his smile shone over everything.

A funeral service took place on Tuesday at Jerusalem Temple Apostolic Church in Indianapolis. The memorial service Sunday allowed Willoughby’s family and friends to come together in grief and remembrance.

“It was something that the family really needed,” Wooley said.

Willoughby’s uncle, Forrest Wooley, Jr., said the service helped the family in a very different way than the funeral service did, allowing them to connect with Willoughby’s friends who have known him during the past few years.

Willoughby was celebrated for his many accomplishments, including his reputation as a talented cellist. In light of his passion for music, the Jacobs School of Music All-Campus Orchestra and the African American Choral Ensemble performed in addition to individual performances by juniors Sarah Saviet and Esther Uduehi.

Amidst music and speeches and tears hung unanswerable questions.

“Where were we when the lights went out? Where where we when the music stopped playing?” Rev. Efiom of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church asked the crowd.

“We must learn from his life and his death,” she said. “A community doesn’t come from putting lots of students on the same floor.”

Donna Brown, Willoughby’s aunt, said she hopes Willoughby’s legacy will live on and students will take heed of Efiom’s advice.

“Lean on each other,” she said. “You are each other’s family.”