Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News

During the quiet of a Friday afternoon, "Little Steph" is remembered by her roommates as a smiling, energetic and friendly girl, one known for shouting full names of friends across the Quad and having an affinity for weird food combinations, like rice with ketchup.

"She had such a big presence for such a little girl," says Julieanne Malley, one of Stephanie's roommates.

On Tuesday, the Loyola College community was rattled when it learned of the death of Stephanie Parente and her family. Baltimore County police discovered Stephanie, along with her mother and father, Betty and William, and her little sister, Catherine, in a Towson Sheraton hotel room at about 3 p.m., Monday. According to police, the deaths of Stephanie and her family members came as an apparent murder-suicide committed by the father. In a press conference Wednesday, Baltimore County police reported that William Parente took the lives of Stephanie, her sister and her mother during the course of the day Sunday before killing himself early Monday morning.

"It's troubling, to put it mildly, when a peer dies so senselessly in a context that should be most comfortable and safe," said Fr. Brian Linnane, S.J., college president.

Although the official announcement about Stephanie's death came in an e-mail from Linnane Tuesday morning, students began hearing of the tragedy as early as 10 p.m., Monday night. Fr. Chuck Frederico, S.J., recounts returning to campus Monday night, only to be called to a resident assistant's room in Campion, where about 30 students were gathered, huddled together watching the news report on television. At about 11:30 p.m., 150 students, Loyola's Student Life staff, all the RA's and most of the school's counseling staff converged in the chapel, where Fr. Chuck, along with Fr. Jack and Fr. Nash, led an impromptu Mass.

"Everyone was taken by the moment," said Fr. Chuck, who remembered going to bed "empty and afraid" Monday night.

Indeed, all of Loyola's campus appeared to be "taken by the moment" this past week, as an attitude of mourning and solemn reflection reverberated throughout the school in the wake of Stephanie's death. Students, professors, administrators and staff leaned on each other for support, and an entire school appeared united in not only mourning the death, but also celebrating the life of Little Steph.

A mass held in memory of Little Steph and her family last Tuesday night drew close to 1,000 attendees, according to George Miller, assistant director of Campus Ministry; Loyola's chapel only seats 450 people. Officiated by Fr. Linnane, students began arriving for the Mass around 8 p.m. By 9 p.m., the chapel pews spilled over with friends, mourners and campus members. Students continued piling in, directed to stand in the aisles and sit on the floor and the altar.

Continued...

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