| Sources |
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 9 Aug 2010.
Raymond H. Pryor obituary
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 16 Sep 2012.
Jeff Trussell
August 27, 1967 - September 16, 2012
Birthplace: Kanagawa-Ken, Japan
Resided In: Maryville, TN USA
Visitation: September 21, 2012
Service: September 21, 2012
Cemetery: Cedar Grove Baptist Cemetery
Jeff Trussell, age 45, so fittingly born during 1967's Summer of Love, was swept mercifully into the waiting arms of God on Sunday, September 16, 2012. He was a member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Maryville where he sang in the church choir, served as a deacon, and acted as a volunteer Youth leader. He was preceded in death by his father, J.D. Trussell, father-in-law (and true father at heart) Raymond Pryor, grandparents James and Edith Trussell, and grandparents Wallace and Jean deWitt. He will be missed beyond measure by his wife and true companion of 20 years, Kim Pryor Trussell, beloved son Dylan Trussell, mother Alice deWitt, brother James Trussell, mother-in-law Carolyn Pryor, grandmother-in law Gladys Guffey, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Michelle and Chuck Jones, niece Kelsie Jones, nephew Hayden Jones, his family favorites Uncle Will deWitt and Aunt Ellen and Uncle Marsh Farro, cousins Jack and Eric Farro, a multitude of family, friends, coworkers, and a loving church family. He loved his job and the people at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and kept near to his heart many of his former Pepsi-Cola coworkers as well. He loved rooting for his Dallas Cowboys, his spring trips to the Kentucky Derby, “activities” with Kim, Dylan, and Jimmy, and showing everybody that he pretty much knew it all. Jeff will most be remembered for his incredible sense of humor and that his life's goal was to make someone laugh every single day, his compassion and heart for God, the Youth, and all the people of Cedar Grove, and his unwavering character and commitment to family, faith, and fun. His mind, heart, and hands were always open and he did everything in a way that put his special stamp on it. He will always be thought of and remembered with a smile, but he would prefer a really loud laugh. Know God, do good, and make somebody laugh every day. Jeff's testimony isn't finished. Youth, remember and take to heart everything Jeff taught on the retreat and all those other Sundays. (And always remember, ''Shiny thing!'') Humbled and forever gratitude to the many strangers who stopped to help us rescue those in the church van and offer aid, but especially Jennifer, Lexie, and Terry, who pulled many of our children to safety and stayed with us on the scene until the last child was taken by ambulance. Nick Davis, you are a hero. A heartfelt thanks to the members of Cedar Grove for their support and love as well as the prayers and offerings of the community and fellow churches. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to Cedar Grove Baptist Church for the Courteney Kaliszewski Family and that prayers and love be showered upon this family. “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”-Acts 20:24 (NIV) The family will receive friends from 3 to 6pm on Friday, September 21st at Cedar Grove Baptist Church with service to follow at 6:30 pm, Dr. Bob Lynch officiating. Family and friends will meet at Cedar Grove Baptist Church Cemetery at 11am Saturday for graveside service and inurnment. Arrangements by Atchley Funeral Home Seymour, 122 Peacock Court, Seymour, TN 37865 (865) 577-2807.
- [S4] Knoxville News-Sentinel (Tennessee), 16 Sep 2012.
2 killed, at least 9 injured in Sevier County collision involving church van
By Hayes Hickman
Authorities in Sevier County are investigating a fatal crash involving a church vehicle and an SUV that occurred on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, on Chapman Highway. The collision involved a vehicle from Cedar Grove Baptist Church carrying youths who were returning from a church event. (Robert Wilson/Special to the News Sentinel)
Photo by Robert Wilson
Authorities in Sevier County are investigating a fatal crash involving a church vehicle and an SUV that occurred on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, on Chapman Highway. The collision involved a vehicle from Cedar Grove Baptist Church carrying youths who were returning from a church event. (Robert Wilson/Special to the News Sentinel)
Tyler Schaeffer
Photo by Knox County Sheriff's Office
Tyler Schaeffer
Members of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Blount County are in shock after two of its members were killed and several others were injured when their church van was struck head-on on Chapman Highway as it returned from a weekend youth retreat on Sunday. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)
Photo by Saul Young
Members of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Blount County are in shock after two of its members were killed and several others were injured when their church van was struck head-on on Chapman Highway as it returned from a weekend youth retreat on Sunday. (Saul Young/News Sentinel)
Two people were killed and 12 were seriously injured when a church van loaded with teenagers returning from a weekend retreat was struck head-on and caught fire along Chapman Highway in Sevier County on Sunday morning.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene, blurred by smoke and screams, as strangers who happened upon the crash frantically tried to free a youth pastor and a teenage girl from the burning wreckage.
“Her arms were right there — I had her by her forearms,” said Jeff Rein, one of several passing motorists who tried in vain to save both victims from the van. “I had her in my arms and I couldn’t get her out.”
The two people killed were later identified as Jeffrey K. Trussell, 45, of Maryville and Courtney Kaliszewski, 16, of Seymour, according to the accident report and additional information from Tennessee Highway Patrol spokeswoman Dalya Qualls.
Eleven other passengers, between the ages of 13 and 22, were transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
“Right now it’s still just shock,” said Wes Gibson, an adult leader with the youth group at Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Blount County.
Some two-dozen teenagers and adults from the small church were returning from a weekend retreat in Gatlinburg, Gibson said. Several others among the 80-member congregation, including family of victims, were following close by in other vehicles at the time of the crash.
The van was northbound on Chapman Highway near Zion Hill Church Road in Seymour when an oncoming 1997 Chevrolet Blazer crossed the centerline and collided with the van just after 9:30 a.m.
The impact rolled the van onto its roof and down a steep embankment, where it came to rest upright in a field. The SUV was knocked onto its side, and the aftermath left the highway shut down for several hours as emergency crews and two Lifestar helicopters responded.
Lexie Williams of Maryville also arrived moments after the crash and ran from the roadway to help as thick smoke billowed from the van and injured teenagers collapsed in the field.
The 29-year-old Army Reservist said she could not find a pulse from the driver, but tried anyway to pull him clear as the man’s wife stood nearby pleading for someone to save him.
“I pulled on him and pulled on him,” she said. “The flames started rolling in … and I could feel the heat on my arms.”
Williams and the others soon were forced to back away. She held the man’s wife clear of the wreck as it became engulfed by the fire with the last two victims still inside.
“It’s an image you can’t shake,” Williams said.
Rein, a 51-year-old airline pilot with a home in Gatlinburg, described the same sense of helplessness as he and an unnamed man struggled without success to free the girl, who was pinned behind a passenger seat.
A single available fire extinguisher was soon emptied, and volunteers were left to empty water bottles in a last-ditch attempt to hold back the flames before emergency responders arrived, he said.
“I was looking right at her,” Rein said. “My heart just sank.”
The Chevy Blazer’s driver, Tyler J. Schaeffer, 21, of Seymour, also was transported to UT Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition Sunday night.
THP troopers are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
- [S27] The Daily Times, http://www.thedailytimes.com/, (Blount County, Tennessee), 18 Sep 2012.
Family reflects on church youth leader killed in collision
By J.J. Kindred | (jj.kindred@thedailytimes.com)
Jeff Trussell was known as a man who just “loved.”
As the youth leader of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Maryville, he was showing that love by driving his church’s van full of members of his youth group from a weekend retreat in Gatlinburg Sunday morning.
The van was hit head-on as it was traveling up Chapman Highway in Seymour, causing it to burst into flames and killing Trussell, 45, and 16-year-old Courteney Joe Kaliszewski of Seymour, plus severely injuring 12 others.
“Jeff loved people,” said his wife, Kim Trussell. “He loved his job, he loved his family, he loved his church — he loved those youth so much, and he loved our animals — we have four dogs. He had so much love and compassion and leadership. On top of it all, he just loved. He got a lot done in 45 years.”
Born on a Naval base in Japan, Trussell was a quality control specialist at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Knoxville for two years, after working as a quality control supervisor for the Pepsi Bottling Group for 18 years. He was a 1985 graduate of Heritage High School.
The family will receive friends from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, with a memorial service to follow at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Cedar Grove Baptist Church. Family and friends will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cedar Grove Baptist Church Cemetery for inurnment.
Kim Trussell and their 20-year-old son, Dylan, visited The Daily Times Tuesday afternoon to reflect on Trussell’s life and accomplishments. Kim Trussell was in another vehicle traveling alongside the van before it crashed and was on the scene helping the other victims, but would not comment specifically on what happened during the accident.
“Our youth retreat had four sessions on King David, talking about how to overcome your giants, and having a true friend in your life that will hold you accountable, even when that’s not easy,” Kim Trussell said.
“No matter what someone has done in their life, they are loved and anointed by God and have a purpose in their life.
‘We were home’
“I grew up in Valley Grove Baptist Church on Chapman Highway, but Jeff felt like that was a little too big for us,” she continued. “Once we were at Cedar Grove, we knew we were home. We started singing in choir, helping in Vacation Bible School, and doing things here and there with the youth.
“Jeff hadn’t been going to church until he and I met. He got saved after Dylan was born. He had to look in Dylan’s eyes and knew that there was something bigger than him on this earth. He used to call it ‘cosmic glop.’ He wanted Dylan to make sure he had that experience and we stepped up as his parents.
“We have served in that (youth ministry) capacity along with a few other people for 10 years. We decided this was going to be our last year of doing this. In January, we were going to start a young adult class and start the next chapter in our lives.”
Kim Trussell described her husband as having the ability to make anything fun.
“He was the funniest person I have ever known in my life,” she said. “Dylan picked up a lot of lingo from his dad.”
“He was the most amazing dad,” added Dylan Trussell, a 2010 graduate of Heritage High School and a food service employee at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. “He was my hero and my idol. I wanted to be just like him.
“He was mainly into sports and I wasn’t, but sometimes I would sit down and watch a game with him. He liked UT, but he was the biggest Dallas Cowboys fan. We loved playing video games and watching scary movies together. He would listen to some old metal or rock n’ roll and give me a history of the bands. I was with him from the very beginning in the youth group.”
Kim Trussell said her husband was “one of those ex-Deadheads that played chess, and a computer nerd. There were so many facets to him. He loved spending time with us and his brother, who was his best friend besides us.
“My dad died of leukemia, and (Jeff) showed that life was so quick and to do things while you can,” she continued. “We had all these plans of things we were going do this fall, and now that we’re not going to be able to do that, I’m crushed beyond all words. But you know what? We will do all those things in Heaven.”
Courteney Kaliszewski
Kaliszewski, who was a junior at Seymour High School, was a member of the Youth Beta Club and the National Honor Society of High School Scholarships. She was one of the most active members of the Cedar Grove Baptist youth group and was also active in missions.
Funeral services will be held for Kaliszewski at 1 p.m. Thursday at Atchley Funeral Home in Seymour, with visitation to be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Seymour High officials would not comment on Kaliszewski, but issued a statement through Debra Cline, assistant superintendent of Sevier County Schools:
“The school family at Seymour High School is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Courteney Kailszewski on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012. We extend our sympathy, thoughts and concern to Courteney’s family at this difficult time.
“Courteney was a gentle, kind and caring individual whose influence will continue to positively impact our lives. Our care and concern also go out to others involved in the accident.”
Probe continues
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Sevier County District Attorney’s Office are continuing to gather information to discuss possible charges against the driver who crashed into the church van with his 1997 Chevy Blazer, 21-year-old Tyler J. Schaeffer, of Seymour.
Schaeffer is currently at UT Medical Center, where no information was available on his condition, according to the nursing supervisor’s office.
A “powdery substance” was found in Schaeffer’s vehicle and has been sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for analysis, according to THP.
“We’re still gathering information and still trying to get things analyzed from the crime lab,” Sevier County District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn told The Daily Times Tuesday.
“We’re definitely looking at what’s already being reported as a vehicle on the wrong side of the road. Now it’s up to us to figure out why. Once we do, we will make our decision on how to proceed. With so many folks involved in this, we have to gather all the information and can’t rush to make a decision.”
Kim Trussell concluded that her husband “died doing what God wanted him to be doing. I wish it wasn’t the way it was, and I don’t understand why it was the way it was.
“There’s been a tremendous outpouring of church love from the very point of the scene. They said, ‘Whatever you need, we will take care of it.’ It’s going to hurt for a long, long time, but we’re going to be OK.”
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