Elizabeth Ennen

Services for Elizabeth Marlene Ennen, 15, of Lubbock will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 28, 2011 in Sanders Memorial Chapel. Entombment will follow at Peaceful Gardens Mausoleum in Woodrow, TX. Arrangements are under the care of Sanders Funeral Home. Beth disappeared on January 5, 2011 and was found on January 24, 2011.

Elizabeth was born on May 17, 1995 at the University Medical Center in Lubbock, TX. She attended Lubbock Schools where she was involved with dance at O.L. Slaton Middle School and was a current sophomore at Monterey High School. Beth had a beautiful voice and was a member of the Choir at Monterey. Elizabeth was a member of Faith Tabernacle Church.

Survivors include her mother, Virginia Ennen; her brothers, Kevin and Nicholas Ennen; father, Kenneth Ennen; half-siblings, Michael and Mariah Ennen; multiple aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and loved ones.

The family will receive friends from 8:00-9:00 p.m., Thursday, January 27, 2011 in Sanders Memorial Chapel.

Her family wishes to express their appreciation for the community support and help received in bringing Elizabeth Home.

Donations may be made to; American State Bank, Elizabeth Ennen Benefit Account, P. O. Box 1401, Lubbock, Texas 79408, or call: (806) 767-7000.

There will also be a student-led candlelight vigil Thursday night 6:30 PM at the flag pole at Monterey High school.

For Elizabeth: Friends, family hold memorial vigil for teen victim
Hundreds shared in grief, prayer and storytelling to the flickering glow of tea candles Thursday as they mourned the loss of a Lubbock teen.
Posted: January 28, 2011 - 12:31am

John A. Bowersmith/Avalanche-Journal
Allison House organizes candles for Elisabeth Ennen Thursday evening before a vigil for Ennen outside Monterey High School. House was in choir with Ennen and helped organize the memorial.

John A. Bowersmith/Avalanche-Journal
Students watch a slideshow during a candlelight vigil for Elizabeth Ennen Thursday night outside Monterey High School.

John A. Bowersmith/Avalanche-Journal
Students hug during a candlelight vigil for Elizabeth Ennen Thursday night outside Monterey High School.

John A. Bowersmith/Avalanche-Journal
Dalton Cox lights candles for Elizabeth Ennen Thursday night during a memorial vigil for her outside Monterey High school.

John A. Bowersmith/Avalanche-Journal
Elizabeth Ennen's brother, Kevin, holds his head in his hands while his cousin, Myra Gomez, stands next to him with her hand on his shoulder Thursday during a candlelight memorial vigil for Elizabeth outside Monterey High School.

By By Adam D. Young

Avalanche-Journal
Hundreds shared in grief, prayer and storytelling to the flickering glow of tea candles Thursday as they mourned the loss of a Lubbock teen.

More than 250 people heard stories of Elizabeth Ennen, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, who was coming of age with a loving kindness shared by family and friends during a student-organized candlelight vigil in front of Monterey High School.

It was her kindhearted outgoingness and the way in which police investigators say her life ended — the victim of a kidnapping and murder this month — that compelled her classmates to organize a tribute that attracted even unacquainted but inspired strangers to the vigil.

About a dozen of Elizabeth’s friends — many of whom sang with her in the school choir — read poetry, prayed and sang in her honor during the event.

“We were just trying to think of something beautiful, something Elizabeth would have liked to have seen,” said 16-year-old Devin Hanlon.

Hanlon recalled being impressed by Elizabeth as her section leader in the alto section of the school’s choir.

“She had an amazing voice, but she was scared to put it out there,” she said.

Hanlon remembered Elizabeth being relatively quiet and shy with her voice in her freshman year in the choir.

But Elizabeth seemed confident, outgoing and boisterous in her sophomore year in the alto section, Hanlon said.

“She came out of her shell this year,” she said. “I think she really was half the sound in the choir.”

Hanlon said she and other friends of Elizabeth felt compelled to organize the evening tribute to their fellow singer and classmate.

She said they gathered about 600 candles and picked a selection of songs and poetry they thought Elizabeth would have enjoyed.

Hundreds of the candles flickered around the base of an 8-foot-tall collage of photos of a smiling Elizabeth.

“I think we owed doing this to the family for everything they’ve been through,” 17-year-old choir member Kerri Davis said. “They’re just really broken right now.”

Joseph Wallace, one of Elizabeth’s cousins, told the crowd his family appreciated the outpouring of kindness and care they saw from strangers, acquaintances and friends at the vigil.

“It really says a lot about the community of Lubbock,” he said.

He tried to describe the grief his family still was reeling from.

“But it’s really hard to explain how missed someone is until you lose them,” he said.

Among the many who didn’t know Elizabeth in life but who wanted to mourn her in death were Terry Rodriguez and Belinda Mornolejo.

Mornolejo said she and her friend were grief-stricken when they heard about Elizabeth’s disappearance.

“We got our feelings hurt seeing what happened to her —- it’s a sad story you’d never believe would happen in Lubbock” she said. “We just wanted to come and share our grief.”

“We came to pay our respects,” Rodriguez added.