On Sunday, a memorial service was held in honor of two NIU students who passed away over the summer.

“Celebration of Life” was put together by the Grant North Black Student Caucus in memory of Ronald Hollister, Jr. and Anna Beverly, who were both active members of the organization.

Approximately 40 people gathered on Sunday in the D Formal Lounge of Grant North in remembrance of their friends, whose lives were ended over summer break.

The people who congregated, including the parents of Hollister and Beverly, listened to the smooth voices of NIU’s Black Choir before listening to the thoughts of Reverend LeRoy Mitchell, who is the Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church.

Ronald Hollister Jr., who would have been a sophomore this fall, graduated from St. Martin de Porres Catholic High School in Chicago. He held aspirations of becoming a writer.

Friends of Hollister declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding his death.

Unfortunately, before the end of the summer, Hollister’s death was followed by the equally abrupt death of Anna Beverly.

An honors student and a member of the National Honor Society, Beverly graduated from North Chicago Community High School in 1991.

She was a very active and service-oriented person and was a member of the Homework Connection at NIU. Anna Beverly would have been a junior this fall, majoring in Sociology/Criminology.

Beverly’s hopeful young life was unexpectedly taken from her in her own home when she was strangled with a telephone cord by an acquaintance.

A U-Haul employee whom Beverly met while arranging to bring her belongings back to NIU murdered her on August 16.

Pamela Jackson, hall director of Grant North, said Celebration of Life was for two young people who were very active in the halls and were examples of excellent students.