The funeral director and long time good friend, Mr. John Peoples, recommended closing the casket. After the family had the opportunity to view Stephen, we agreed that it would be best. Some of items brought for display at the church to help show people who Stephen really was were his basketball jerseys from Pendleton County and Georgetown College. The basketball shoes he received as a senior at Georgetown sat nicely beside his Georgetown #31 jersey. They had been worn out from playing in 2 - 3 leagues weekly since graduation. Specific awards were brought to display the hard-working nature of Stephen. He received the Larry Price Hustle Award at Pendleton (the same honor that he shared with his father in 1978 and his brother, Jon, in 2005 and 2006), and the Jim Reid Award at Georgetown. Other plaques included Academic All-Conference, Highest GPA average in Chemistry and Trigonometry.

Some of the most special items displayed were poems and letters written to us when he was small.

Roses are red, violets are blue
You are sweet and I love you,
Would you like a cup of tea,
It's really good for me, and
I just made it for the best Mommy.
~Mothers Day 1995

Roses are red
Violets are Blue
You are sweet
and I love you.

Dear Mommy and Daddy,
I love you so much. I could
take you out to dinner, but
I don't have a car.
Love, Stephen

Dear Mommy,
Thank you for every thing you've done for us.
Thank you for food. Thank you for taking me
down the hill. Thank you for buying me a home. Mommy,
you are a very good cooker. Thank you for
helping me with my homework. Thank you
for loving me too. I love you too.
thank you for toys.
Happy Mother's Day Mommy.
I Love you Mom.
~April 20, 1993


AND THE MOST SPECIAL OF ALL

(Stephen wrote this and folded it like a paper airplane and threw it down the steps one night to us)
Dear Mom or Dad,
I want to accept Jesus as my personal
Lord and Savior, but I'm scared to do it
in Church.
P.S. Can you please help me!!
Love, Stephen Elrod