Gillian Bellamy 'Gill' Friend

Gillian 'Gill' Bellamy Friend

November 25, 1985 - Oregon City
November 15, 2002 - Terrebonne

'Precious'
'Son, Brother, Grandson, Uncle & Friend'

Back Inscription:
Friend
Hey! Look up! Look at me! Do you see me!
Here I am! Oh man! See my wings,
see where I am dude! I'm here!
I made it! Arn't I glorious....

When it is time for an angel in human skin to go home
it's sudden and unexpected. We feel great loaa and
emptiness. In reality, we have great gain and have been
filled with such a gift as to have known, learned &
lived in the grace of an earthbound angel.
We have been blessed. May our love travel with you always.
Okoke Naha Pe Tenas Ikt Mitlile Kopet Kahsh Siah

Gillian Bellamy Friend of Terrebonne died November 15, 2002 in an automobile accident near Estacada. He was 16.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Assembly of God Church in Redmond. Chaplain Vern Arledge will officiate.

Gillian was born November 25, 1985, in Oregon City.

He was a student at Redmond High School.

Gillian enjoyed backpacking, boating, going to the ocean and driving on the dunes.

He liked to skateboard, drive four wheelers, ski and snowboard. His hobbies included macrame and hand sewing.

Gillian moved to Central Oregon seven years ago.

His survivors include:

Father, Chester Friend of Colton

Mother, Pamela Friend of Terrebonne

Brother, C.W. III of Portland

Sister, Cheyenne of Terrebonne

Grandfather, Floyd Ringering of Pendleton

Grandmother, Mary Lou Long of Sandy.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Redmond Skate Park.

Autumn Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

*************
Killed in the same accident was his friend, Stuart Variz. They shared the same funeral service and are buried close together.

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Two RHS students killed in car crash
By Mike Cronin, The Bend Bulletin

Published: November 18. 2002

Redmond High School officials will have counselors available today to help students and staff cope with the deaths of two students killed Friday night in a vehicle accident.

Oregon State Police Sgt. Aaron Olson said Gillian Friend, 16, of Terrebonne and Stuart Variz, 17 of Redmond were traveling to Colton on Highway 211 about six miles south of Estacada about 7:45 p.m. in a 1990 Mazda pickup.

Friend, who was driving, failed to negotiate a curve and drove off the highway down an embankment. The truck hit several trees and caught fire, Olson said in a news release.

Friend was thrown from the truck.

Emergency rescue personnel removed Variz, who was wearing a seat belt, from the vehicle. Both teenagers died at the scene.

Witnesses told police the boys were traveling at a "high rate of speed," Olson said. But investigators have not yet determined the vehicle's speed. The accident remains under investigation. A medical exam will be conducted, Olson said, but the results won't be known for seven working days.

Lauren Roland, who taught Friend and Variz social studies, described them as "quiet," "understated" and "really nice kids."

"It's always pleasant to come in and know that you have those kinds of kids in class," she said. "I feel real sorry for the families and what they're going through."

Redmond students and teachers will be able to obtain counseling at the school today.

"Our heart goes out to the families," said Dan Purple, principal of the roughly 1,700-student high school. "Whenever you lose members of the student body, it's a difficult time for staff and students."

The tragedy is the second accident in several months to claim the life of a Redmond High student.

In August, Crooked River Ranch's Krystal Elizabeth Raines-Willhite, 17, who was set to enter her junior year, died in a crash at the intersection of China Hat and Knott roads.