WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.-In a tremendous demonstration of love and support, more than 1,000 people gathered at the Centenary United Methodist Church Wednesday to celebrate the life of Stephenson Pope Babcock, Trinity '96, who was killed in a car accident May 24.
In a beautiful sanctuary flanked by stained-glass windows at least 30 feet high, Dennis Campbell, dean of the Divinity School, delivered a sermon to sobbing members of the congregation that emphasized many of the special qualities that Babcock, known to everyone by his middle name, brought to this world. Campbell most vividly recalled Babcock's undying spirit of adventure.
That spirit was the focus of the conversation Campbell had with Babcock May 11, the night before graduation. Babcock, who received a B.A. in political science, told Campbell about the surfing trip to Baja, Calif., that he and some of his fraternity brothers from Sigma Alpha Epsilon planned to take after graduation. Unfortunately, it was to be Babcock's last adventure.
"It was just a dream trip for him," his father, Bruce Babcock, told The Herald-Sun of Durham. "He loved to travel, and he loved the ocean. He always wanted to be close to the ocean."
Babcock was riding May 24 in the passenger seat of his car in San Quentin, Mexico, when a severe gust of wind forced driver Chris Collins, Trinity '96, to lose control of the car and veer off of the road. (Collins should not be confused with Chris Collins, Trinity '96, former co-captain of the men's basketball team.) At the time of the accident, Collins and Babcock had been following three of their friends. No one else was hurt in the accident.
Despite the heroic attempts of his four friends and local volunteers to save him, Babcock died of severe head injuries several hours later. "They went to great lengths to do everything right," Campbell said in his sermon. "I can't imagine having more thoughtful... competent friends to help in an emergency."
Campbell said that throughout Babcock's life, he was "not one to be the center of attention... but his presence was always felt and recognized in the quiet confidence that allowed him to be attentive to others." Campbell described Babcock as one of the most thoughtful and considerate people he had ever known and as one who had a tremendous gift for friendship.
That gift was evidenced at his memorial service by the formidable turnout not only of his friends from the University, but also of those who grew up with Babcock in New York City and attended elementary school with him.
After the closing prayer and benediction, family members and close friends led the procession out of the sanctuary, tears streaming down their faces, and went down stairs to an auditorium to greet personally those who journeyed to Winston-Salem to pay their respects.
One such friend, Nick Goodman, who has known Babcock since they were six years old, said that Babcock was a "sincere and generous friend. I feel like part of me is now gone," he said.
Others had similar words to offer.
"Pope was the kind of friend you could call after not having seen him in nine months and it would be like you had just seen him yesterday," said Phil Lynch, another long-time friend of Babcock's. "He was the most sincere friend... he was like a brother to me in the summers," alluding to the time during which Babcock lived and worked as a lifeguard in Bridgehampton, N.Y.
The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, all friends and family members send donations to Duke University in care of the Stephenson Pope Babcock Scholarship Fund. People may also show their support by sending a contribution to Medi-Mex, a medical mission project in Mexico, in care of P.O. Box 5146, Lansing, Ill., 60438.
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