Millian held a memorial service on April 5 in Seeger Chapel to honor the life and passing of sophomore Eli Cramer.
The service opened with a three-minute video displaying pictures of Cramer. The pictures highlighted his athletic accomplishments and his often goofy interactions with close friends.. The video is available on the Milligan University Instagram page.
President Bill Greer took the stage to address Milligan students, faculty, and other members of the community and speak about how the campus has been affected by the tragic passing of Cramer and even shared how he remembered Cramer. After Greer’s opening remarks, Katie Cochran performed “Lord, I Need you”. Voices swelled through the chapel as most of the audience joined in the singing.
After the song, Athletic Director Christian Pope, seniors Ethan Pfister and Alex Windham, and Coach Chris Layne took the stage one by one to share their personal memories of Cramer.
Through tears and choked voices, each of the speakers told a powerful story of how Cramer impacted their life. It was stated by both Ethan Pfister and Alex Windham that “he loved and was loved greatly.”
“I sat down and prayed that God would use me as a tool to tell others about Eli,” Pfister said. “I don’t really remember writing the words all that much, just laid it to Him and he provided what to say.”
After hearing each speaker’s message, Campus Minister Rich Aubrey closed out the service.
“My primary job is not to solve but to serve,” he said. “Because to be honest, I can’t solve this. Don’t forget Eli Cramer, remember him, and remember him well. When the time is right, share a smile, a Cramer smile.”
The congregation was dismissed after a prayer from Alex Mortimer.
A celebration of life service for Cramer was held at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tenn. at 3. pm. EST on April 8. The Milligan cross country and track and field team traveled to attend the service while Milligan streamed the event from Seeger Chapel for other students.
The Milligan Counseling Center continues to be an available resource for those who need it. For more information, please visit https://www.milligan.edu/thecounselingcenter/.