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Windsor Oaks student killed in car crash
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| WILLIAM LANDRUM JR. — William Landrum Jr., 16, died in a car accident on September 1. Neil Smart |
More than 200 assembled Saturday to remember William Landrum Jr.
by Nathan Wright
Staff Writer
Windsor Oaks Academy mourned the loss of student William Landrum Jr. last week after school officials learned he had died in an auto accident near Yorkville on September 1. According to the California Highway Patrol, Landrum, 16, was killed after the car his mother was driving drifted into oncoming traffic and was hit head-on by the Chevy Silverado. His mother and the man driving the Silverado survived the accident.
More than 200 friends and family crowded into the Windsor Healdsburg Mortuary on Saturday, September 5 to say goodbye, remembering Landrum as a creative soul who loved to cook and had big plans to become a barber or rap recording artist.
“He loved cutting hair, and to cook,” said Landrum Sr. “He wanted to become a rap artist. He had a beat maker on his computer and he would stay up late writing his own lyrics. He already recorded six songs and they were pretty good.”
Landrum Sr. said his son had struggled with school but had turned it all around at Windsor Oaks Academy. He had begun studying for his high school equivalency exam and his dad said he spoke of his long-term goals. “He knew what he wanted in life, and he was pursuing his education,” he said. “He was a good, loving kid. He loved playing with kids and he loved to cook for the family.”
Landrum Sr. said he was shocked when he saw the crowd at the funeral and said his son would have been flattered. “I had never seen a funeral like this,” he said. “We had to wait at Shiloh Cemetery for everyone to show up. He had a lot of people who loved him. It was an awesome thing.”
Windsor Oaks Academy principal Patricia Law said news of Landrum’s death had hit his classmates hard. “For the rest of the week there was sadness, but at the same time there was unity,” she said. “The students really pulled together. Everyone got in a circle and we went around the room and talked about what we remembered about Will and what everyone thought about life in general. The students were really supporting one another. There was such openness and trust.”
Teacher Neil Smart said Landrum had been working hard on his high school equivalency this fall and was remembered by his teachers as a polite, friendly kid. “He had set himself some real goals and from what I was observing he was going to make those goals,” he said. “He’s going to be an inspiration for other students.”
Landrum Sr. hopes his son’s friends and classmates take his death as motivation to achieve their own goals. “If he changes just one kid’s life, I think that’ll be a great thing,” he said. “They can see this as a wake-up call that life is short. Live it good.”
More than 200 friends and family crowded into the Windsor Healdsburg Mortuary on Saturday, September 5 to say goodbye, remembering Landrum as a creative soul who loved to cook and had big plans to become a barber or rap recording artist.
“He loved cutting hair, and to cook,” said Landrum Sr. “He wanted to become a rap artist. He had a beat maker on his computer and he would stay up late writing his own lyrics. He already recorded six songs and they were pretty good.”
Landrum Sr. said his son had struggled with school but had turned it all around at Windsor Oaks Academy. He had begun studying for his high school equivalency exam and his dad said he spoke of his long-term goals. “He knew what he wanted in life, and he was pursuing his education,” he said. “He was a good, loving kid. He loved playing with kids and he loved to cook for the family.”
Landrum Sr. said he was shocked when he saw the crowd at the funeral and said his son would have been flattered. “I had never seen a funeral like this,” he said. “We had to wait at Shiloh Cemetery for everyone to show up. He had a lot of people who loved him. It was an awesome thing.”
Windsor Oaks Academy principal Patricia Law said news of Landrum’s death had hit his classmates hard. “For the rest of the week there was sadness, but at the same time there was unity,” she said. “The students really pulled together. Everyone got in a circle and we went around the room and talked about what we remembered about Will and what everyone thought about life in general. The students were really supporting one another. There was such openness and trust.”
Teacher Neil Smart said Landrum had been working hard on his high school equivalency this fall and was remembered by his teachers as a polite, friendly kid. “He had set himself some real goals and from what I was observing he was going to make those goals,” he said. “He’s going to be an inspiration for other students.”
Landrum Sr. hopes his son’s friends and classmates take his death as motivation to achieve their own goals. “If he changes just one kid’s life, I think that’ll be a great thing,” he said. “They can see this as a wake-up call that life is short. Live it good.”
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