District and community grieving after 3rd loss of life this summer

EUSTACE — Funeral services will be Thursday at 2:00 p.m. for a 2020 graduate from Eustace High School. Maggie Groom was one of two recent grads killed over the weekend after a head-on collision, on HWY 31 in Henderson County. A celebration of Groom’s life will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Life Fellowship Church in Athens. A graveside service will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery. Groom is the third person associated with the district to die in a 6 week span.

Elizabeth Costlow, a longtime teacher on the high school campus, died from COVID-19 complications. Dominik Rudman, 17, would have graduated next spring. Rudman, died in July, after a lake accident. The community rallied together following Rudman’s death to offset burial expenses and to show support for one another. Counselors have also been made available to students, not yet back on campus, dealing with the tragedies.

Groom’s passenger, Zane Taylor, 19, of Brownsboro who was killed in the crash on Saturday morning. A balloon release is set for Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. at the football field in Grand Saline, for the GISD 2019 graduate. A visitation will be held Friday night from 6-8 p.m. at Chandler Memorial Funeral Home. Taylor’s funeral will be at Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro on Saturday. Rachael Patterson, 30, of Eustace, heading to work Saturday morning heading in the opposite direction when she was struck in the collision.

Patterson was taken to a Tyler hospital with serious injuries, but is expected to recover. Photos of Patterson’s vehicle were provided by our news partner KETK.