Friends remember Becca Lanter's positivity

Becca Lanter stood before an audience of about 100 people and recited from memory a three-page poem about her life at an Open Mic Night at BuffaLouie’s.

It was the second time she had performed the poem, and it ended to resounding applause.

“It was really one of my favorite performances,” said Eric Love, director for the IU Office of Diversity Education. “It was so personal and moving, really touching in the struggles that she had gone through. It was also a testament of strength and triumph.”

Lanter, a 21-year-old senior, was killed in a collision early Saturday morning when her car hit a tree.

Officers were notified of the accident at 2:16 a.m. on Monroe Dam Road.

In celebration of Lanter’s life, a memorial service will take place 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Student Recreational Sports Center, where Lanter worked for three years.

“She was just a beautiful young woman,” Love said. “I always had it in the back of my mind to have her perform that again.”

Lanter had a rough upbringing but kept an upbeat attitude, senior Dylan Hollenberg said.

“She was such a strong girl, loved to have fun — just so happy,” he said.

Robin Denhart, a Jasper resident, said Lanter majored in sales management and wanted to travel and help people with HIV.

A few years ago, Lanter’s mother died, Hollenberg said, and when she was 18, she became emancipated from her family.

“Her family was pretty much her friends,” he said. “She was so mature, was already paying her bills to take care of herself. She worked all the time because she had to pay her way. She did get the Lilly scholarship — she was a very smart girl.”

Denhart said Lanter lived with her family during school breaks.

After Lanter’s mother died, Denhart said she told Lanter she could come to her if Lanter ever needed anything.

Before the end of her freshman year, Lanter called Denhart asking for a place to stay for the summer.

“Once I said, ‘What are we?’” Denhart said. “And she said, ‘We’re family.’ She has a very large family, too. But she kept in touch with everyone, even if it was just to say hi.”

Hollenberg said he had been best friends with Lanter since fifth grade.

“I would say a lot of people would call her their best friend,” he said, “even though she had 30 best friends.”

IU alumna  Mariel Avila said she met Lanter her sophomore year, two years ago. On the day of the accident, Avila said she and Lanter were supposed to go boating at Lake Monroe.

“I kept calling her and she didn’t answer,” Avila said. “I got the call that morning. She was the most amazing person. I know everyone says that, but she really was. I don’t think I ever saw her having a bad day.”

Senior Alyssa Kettler said she roomed with Lanter their freshman and junior years.

“Becca was the kind of person that took everybody in,” she said. “She could tell you about yourself, analyze you before you even knew it.”

Kettler said she met Lanter in seventh grade and swam against her competitively in high school. When the two girls found out they would both be attending IU, they decided to room together.

“That was just an incredible year,” Kettler said. “She was just larger than life, and she was wise beyond her years. She always had a perspective that you didn’t think of.”

Kettler said she had discussions with Lanter about what they would want for their funerals if they were to happen.

“We had the most ironically weird conversations about what we would want if this kind of thing happened,” Kettler said. “She wanted to wear yellow because it looked pretty and have pictures everywhere. She wanted people to find the best in everything and always found the silver lining. It’s definitely a celebration.”