School Grieves After DuttonHurt’s Death

On Friday, May 1, Aezra DuttonHurt, a senior and musical star, was found dead in Naismith Hall on the University of Kansas campus.

DuttonHurt’s death brings a mix of emotions to family, friends, classmates and teachers.

“It’s hard, because I think the way Aezra died has torn people,” choir teacher Hilary Morton said. “Some people feel anger, or have tremendous sorrow, frustration or confusion.”

No matter what the feelings were, one thing is for certain: in the essence of this situation, the student body truly showed compassion and love by attending the visitation on May 4 and funeral May 6 en mass.

“His mother was shocked to see so many people there,” Morton said. “It was some people who knew him well and some who just sang with him, but everyone was touched by him. She felt so good to know that. And I wish that he would have really known that.”

Morton had a special relationship with DuttonHurt because of his passion for music. As a two-year state choir member, he brought an enormous amount of talent to the program according to Morton. He was enrolled in every choir offered except for Women’s Choir.

“Music…was his cornerstone, it’s what he loved to do,” senior Scott Olcott, a long-time friend of Duttonhurt, said. “He loved singing and composing music, and that is what everyone is going to remember him for.”

His impact on choir was so great it effected the scheduling of his funeral, as to avoid conflicting with preparation for the spring choir concert the night before.

“They wanted to make sure it didn’t interfere with choir because Aezra wouldn’t miss choir if he didn’t have to,” Morton said.

It only made sense, then, to have members of the huge choir family march down to Mustard Seed Church together on the afternoon of the funeral. Members of Chamber Choir even wore their concert attire in order to honor DuttonHurt.

“This is our family, this was his family and this is what he would do,” Morton said. “He would be there for everyone else. He had a huge heart.”

Duttonhurt’s unique personality will never be forgotten according to his close friends.

“No matter what, he would always make me laugh,” Olcott said. “It’s definitely a shame to see him go, but even if this didn’t happen no one would have forgotten him. We all would have remembered him…he is not a forgettable person.”