Work continues on memorial for parade victims

STILLWATER — Less than one city block away from the site where four people were killed and 50 were injured during Oklahoma State’s 2015 homecoming parade, a memorial will be erected to honor the victims.

The construction site of the Stillwater Strong Memorial, which will be located in the area of Hall of Fame Avenue and Hoke Street, has seen activity the past three weeks.

The memorial, scheduled to be completed by late September or early November, will be dedicated on Oct. 26, the day before Oklahoma State hosts Texas for this year’s homecoming game on Oct. 27.

The memorial is expected to feature a 6-foot steel orange-colored ribbon on top of a concrete base accompanied by information on Marvin and Bonnie Stone, both 65; University of Central Oklahoma graduate student Nikita Nakal, 23; and 2-year-old Nash Lucas.

They were killed on Oct. 24, 2015, when Adacia Chambers drove her car into a crowd of spectators during the parade.

Chambers was sentenced to life in prison after being charged with four counts of seconddegree murder and 42 counts of assault and battery by means or force likely to produce death.

The land for the project was donated by the city of Stillwater with other elements such as fencing and materials being donated by state and local organizations, according to D. Scott Petty, executive director of the Stillwater Medical Foundation, who wrote “Stillwater Strong, Loyal and True,” inspired by the victims and survivors of the OSU homecoming parade tragedy.

All proceeds from book sales will go toward funding the memorial.

“The memorial shows the strength and resiliency of the Stillwater community,” Petty said. “... And the support from everyone that we have received since this tragedy.”

Petty said the Stillwater Memorial Committee was able to raise around $50,000 through donations at last year’s homecoming football game at Boone Pickens Stadium.

The total cost of the memorial is estimated to be around $85,000.

“Lots of hands have been part of it to make this come to fruition,” he said.

[PHOTO BY MATT BARNARD, TULSA WORLD] Construction continues Tuesday at the Stillwater Strong Memorial near the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater.