Teens killed in crash remembered by teachers, friends

A makeshift roadside memorial may be the punctuation on the lives of two Spring Springs teens, but many who knew them will remember how they lived, rather than how they died.

A standout, well-rounded student at Sweet Springs High School, Lynn Plummer was looking forward to attending college in West Virginia.

Brendan Hulett had completed his final football season at Concordia High School by leading the team in tackles.

Hulett and Plummer, both 18, died when Hulett’s car caught fire after a crash Monday night on the South Outer Road of Interstate 70, just west of Sweet Springs.

Two others in a second vehicle — Jason M. Hall, 24, and Keshia M. Hall, 20, both of Sweet Springs — were injured. Jason Hall was treated and released from I-70 Medical Center and Keshia Hall was transferred to University Hospital in Columbia.

The crash cut short the lives of Hulett and Plummer, who were on track to becoming fine young adults, say those who knew them.

Hulett attended Concordia High School until the end of the first semester. He moved to Kansas for about a month and planned on finishing high school there, said Sam Otero, 18, who was on the football team with Hulett.

Concordia High School Principal Mike Trautman said Hulett enjoyed weight lifting and was helpful.

“He was the type of kid, if you had a truck to unload, he was more than happy to help you,” Trautman said.

At one time, Hulett had considered a career in the military, Trautman said.

Hulett, who worked at McDonald’s in Concordia, also had a good sense of humor, Otero said. “He had a great personality, but he also was a tough guy,” he said.

Otero recalled when Hulett got a tattoo of a cross on his arm this winter. “He wore shorts and a cut-off shirt for weeks, just because he liked it so much,” he said.

Hulett and Plummer met at church during a youth group meeting on a Wednesday night, Otero said.

Both avoided getting wrapped up in teenage angst. Hulett was friends with all people, regardless of their “clique,” Otero said.

“He was a guy who got along with anybody,” he said.

Plummer was set to be the salutatorian at Sweet Springs High School, where she was a member of the band, vice president of the art club and a cadet teacher. She was known for being creative and musically and artistically talented. She played the flute, saxophone and clarinet.

Excelling in academics and extracurricular activities came naturally to Plummer, said Sweet Springs High School guidance counselor Kelley Weber.

“She was definitely an overachiever, but she just made it look like she didn’t have to work at it. ... People used to say she used both sides of her brain,” she said.

Sweet Springs art teacher Mary Vacek said she and Plummer were close. Plummer was Vacek’s cadet teacher and was a student in Vacek’s class this year and two years ago.

“She was my right-hand girl,” Vacek said.

Plummer was mature and tried not to worry about things that didn’t matter, Vacek said.

“She didn’t get caught up in high school drama,” the teacher said.

Plummer’s friends often sought her advice because of her honesty and levelheadedness, Vacek said.

“I hope that people always remember she was a caring, kind person,” Vacek said. “She had a lot of friends that really did lean on her.”

The future looked bright for Plummer. She was recently accepted to Shepherd University in West Virginia, where she planned to major in graphic design and minor in music performance. Vacek said Plummer “completely excelled” in her computer arts class this year and would have done well in a graphic arts career.

“She was the type of person who would have done well in anything,” Vacek said.

Vacek said she appreciated Plummer’s sense of humor.

“She had a sarcastic sense of humor. ... She could take a joke, but she could also dish them out,” she said.

Plummer “didn’t waste time,” Vacek said. She “always had a sketch book with her” and often doodled comic-book-looking characters, Vacek said. Weber, too, said Plummer made the most of life.

“Lynn lived every day,” Weber said.

Plummer was the only senior who started the year with enough credits to graduate. Graduating with her class of 28 seniors was important to Plummer, and she took dual-credit courses this year to jump start her college career, Weber said.

Plummer was independent and self-confident, Weber said.

“She was herself, and happy to be herself,” she said.

Plummer worked at Taco Bell in Concordia until about three weeks ago, when she started at Break Time in Sweet Springs.

“She was always working,” Vacek said. “She liked the independence that came with it.”

Amy Fiedler works at Break Time and said she didn’t know Plummer well, but thought the girl was “very nice, smart and talented.”

Fiedler said many in the community were shocked by the fatal car accident.

“We really do pull together when times get tough,” she said.

Memorial services for Plummer will be noon Friday at the First Baptist Church in Sweet Springs, and services for Hulett will be at noon Saturday at the same church.

The Sweet Springs Fire Department and Sweet Springs Ambulance District are sponsoring a benefit barbecue for the families of both teens, starting at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot.

snail@sedaliademocrat.com