EMMETT, Idaho — The agony of losing two teenage children and their three friends to drowning was deeply etched in his face, but as Bishop Blake Probst stood to conduct his children's funeral, he spoke with a commanding calm.
"They've seen me sit on the stand for years," he said during funeral remarks. "It seemed like the best thing I could do was to sit on the stand one last time for them."
For all the sadness of precious life taken too soon, there was an overarching sense of celebration of lives well lived as members and community residents filled the Emmett Idaho Stake Center on Saturday, March 3, for the funeral of Brooke Probst, 15, and Brant F. Probst, 13.
Three days after his childrens' funeral, on Tuesday, March 6, Bishop Probst conducted the funeral for Meagan Walker, 15; Tyler Walker, 14; and Kyle Walker, 12; in the Eagle Idaho Stake Center.
"If you're looking for something hard to do," Bishop Probst said, "stand on the side (of the road) while watching your babies drown."
The accident took place a week earlier, on Tuesday, Feb. 27, when Brooke Probst was driving a carpool of students, including her brother and their three friends from their rural homes in Sweet to school in nearby Emmett.
While passing Black Canyon Reservoir about 7:30 a.m., her 1989 Ford Tempo veered off the icy road and plunged 20 feet into a murky pond of cold water. Idaho law permits 15-year-old drivers.
None survived by the time rescue crews hoisted the wreckage from the pond by tow truck. News of the tragedy swept through this rural community of about 12,000.
"If you feel yourself about to cry, bite your lower lip to keep from quivering," a Young Women leader was overheard to say in a hallway while counseling girls who would sing during the Probst funeral.
Mourners gathered in the Emmett stake center the afternoon and evening prior to the Probst funeral to pay their respects to the five victims. Peers from the junior high and high school filed in. Hesitant to leave, they often congregated around the five caskets alined in the overflow area of the chapel. They were respectful and reverent. Only gentle sobs were heard as they moved from casket to casket.
Vast displays of flowers were clustered around the cultural hall, where tables containing photos and other memorabilia of each child were on display. Slideshows of family activities and personal accomplishments ran continuously during the viewing.
Bishop Probst and his wife, Sheri, moved among the people, eager to greet everyone with a hug and a firm slap on the back. Many were speechless and shared their condolences with a cascade of tears. Bishop Probst appeared to draw his greatest solace from comforting others.
"They are strong people of great faith," said President Martin Walker of the Emmett Idaho Stake.
The youth who died were inseparable friends, noted one resident of Sweet attending the Probst funeral.
The family of Brandon and Tamara Walker and their seven children lived much of their lives in Eagle, Idaho, a community near Boise.
A few months ago, in August 2006, they moved to the rural community of Sweet, some 25 miles up the road, to build their dream home amid the vast farm and pasture lands. They first built a garage, then an apartment over the garage where the family lived while Brother Walker and his sons, Tyler and Kyle, constructed their home.
The five young people, with their love of sports and outdoors, quickly bonded. They lived an idyllic life with the Sawtooth Mountains as their backyard. From family videos shown during the viewing, it appeared that the teens were never happier than when they were atop a horse, or riding an ATV, or camping, or riding a motorcycle, or playing with family.
More importantly, they shared common standards of righteousness and were united in their love of the gospel. They were sterling examples of virtue and wholesomeness to their peers in school.
Brooke, noted her father during the funeral, was an intense and avid student of the scriptures. "She had a bookmark in her scriptures," said her father, that stated, 'Nothing will happen today that God and I can't handle."'
Speakers during the funerals, and youth who bore testimonies during fast and testimony meeting on Sunday in the Walkers' former Eagle 8th Ward, repeatedly spoke of the teens' zest for life, how they approached life with courage and optimism, how they bore "exuberant testimony" in word and deed.
One mother said the lesson she drew from this tragedy was, "Awesome parents raise awesome children."
Noticeably absent was any waffling questions of "why?"
Hearts are being softened, Bishop Brett Williams of the Eagle 8th Ward said. Many people have come forward to help. Many who have felt no inclination to learn of the gospel are asking questions about the Church and the Plan of Salvation, he said, like his neighbor who offered to take food to those who were taking food to the families.
There has been a surge of interest in the gospel since the funerals. Interested residents have called to learn more about the gospel and will be hosted on consecutive evenings in the home of Bishop and Sister Probst to hear the missionary lessons.
While these young people will not serve full-time missions in this life, he noted, the sermon of their lives is being proclaimed across Treasure Valley and is preparing the hearts of many to hear the gospel.
E-mail to: shaun@desnews.com
