Kelsey Tatum
December 31, 1969 - December 31, 1969

"You don't know me personally but I wanted to express my sincere sympathy in the loss of your daughter and sister. Please remember that God in heaven is a God of comfort and will sustain you during this difficult time. Rev 21:3,4 expresses a promise from God that soon he will do away with death, pain, and suffering that we all endure. Hopefully the promises that are found in the Bible bring a measure of peace to your family during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time. "

"Kelsey would come into this office and she was always such a sweet girl. Very polite and caring and had great smile. I really miss seeing her once in a while.God bless all of you . You will be in my prayers.Peace.Mary Botos"

"Kelsey was a special patient of mine when she was here in Texas. I always told her she reminded me of the movie actress Julie Anne Moore, as she was beautiful. She carried her illness with such grace for someone so young. We shared secrets and girl talk. God must have a special need for her to call her so young. I will miss you sweet girl and I'll see you in heaven."

"You will always hold a special place in my heart. The way you touched my life will is undescribable through words."

"We didn't personally know Kelsey very well, but we felt like we knew her from all of the wonderful things Randy and Suzie always said of her. You are such a nice family.We are so very sad for your tremendous loss and hope you all as a family can find peace. I know you all have many memories of laughter and humor with Kelsey.Take Care!!"

"Kelsey was such a great friend. She always kept a smile on her face and that smile always lit up the room. She taught us all, especially me, that no matter what life throws at you, you must keep your head up and keep pushing through. Kelsey was a special and amazing person and I will truly miss her. My thoughts and prayers are with your family through this difficult time and may the grace of God help you find peace."

"It was a privilege to know Kelsey. I will remember the beautiful, sweet girl with the strawberry blonde hair and her courageous will to live. Peace and Comfort to all the family."

"All of us at ALSAC are grieveing with you over the loss of Kelsey. She was a very special young lady and will be missed."

"To: The Tatum Family, Your love, courage and strength has truly been an inspiration to all those around you. Kelsey's life has made an indelible mark not only on those people she knew, but on all the countless others who knew of her. She forever lives on in the hearts and minds of everyone she touched. With love and sympathy, Jan, Mick, Eric & Carla Vaughan Bill and Carolyn Greer"

"I played soccer with Kelsey years ago and what I remember most was what a strong person she was and her amazing presence and smile. I am very sorry for your loss, and my prayers are with you. "

"We are unable to attend on Friday, but you are continually in our thoughts and prayers. Having four daughters of our own, we know the love and joy that Kelsey has provided for 21 years -- she will continue to bring joy to your lives in the things you see and do that remind you of her. Please find comfort in the fact that one day we will be together with the loved ones that have gone before us -- this is a promise of our Lord.Much love to you,Jim and Martha Fairbanks"

"We are deeply saddened to hear of your loss. Kelsey was a beautiful young lady from a terrific family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you."

"Suzie-I am sorry to hear about your loss. I just wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. "

"I just want you all to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I send my love to you all."

"I didn't know Kelsey very well, but she was in my Theology class two years ago. She always had very insightful answers in class and I always admired her for that. My thoughts and prayers have been with you since I found out and will continue to be. God will grant you the comfort that you need. "

"Our family is so sorry for your loss. I (lisa) got to know Kelsey's Grandma a few years ago when Kelsey was diagnosed with cancer. We lost Travis, almost 2 years ago in a car accident. He was about 3 years younger than Kelsey. Losing a child is one of the most difficult things that a parent must face in this life. Let God be your rock and your strength through the valley of the shadow of death. He will Guide you and lift you up when you no longer can lift your selves up. IF you every need to talk to anyone that who has been through this pain, feel free to give us a call. Memory of website has a wonderful candle lighting program whom multitudes of Angel mom give you inner strength.Lisa WoernerTravis-woerners.memory-of.com"

"Having Kelsey in my class my first year at WMS made the year special. We had some very special talks. I'm so sorry for your family's loss. I know you had so much hope there for a while just to have it taken away must be difficult. She was such a fighter! Hope to see you Friday."

"Kelsey was my roommate for about 1 1/2 years at Marian. There are so many memories that I share of her, but one of the most memorable is that every Sunday she would sit at her desk and do her studying while watching a movie (AMC all day or ABC Family), and playing Computer Games. She knew how to multi-task to the max! What I will truly miss and never forget is the long talks that we would share about our childhood memories and just talking how our days went. I will also never forget how every day before class would begin, we would watch The Ellen Show and do a dance off with each other. That was our quality time which was very welll spent in dance, and laughter! Kelsey always knew how to make anybody laugh and look on the brighter side of life with her wonderful humor. I will forever cherish these memories and I will miss Kelsey greatly but I know that she is with us always in heaven. I LOVE YOU KELS!!!"

"I never imagined this would ever happen to Kelsey. She was such a strong vivacious young lady. I have to say she has always been one of my favorite students to ever come in contact with. I still, to this day, use her as an example of pride, love, and ambition to all of my students. Each tri-mester I show the ever famous film, Mr. Holland's Opus. The young lady that is learning how to play the clarinet always reminds me of Kelsey. I later share Kelsey's story of her strength and fight to live, with my students. This message becomes a very emotional lesson for my kids. Always work hard and stay true to yourself. Kelsey always did this. You all are in my thoughts and prayers. I am very confident that Kelsey will be taking care of you now. Unfortunately I am unable to attend the services on Friday. Peace be with you, and lots of love."

"I never had an opportunity to meet Kelsey. But I did get to meet you, Mrs. Tatum, this past weekend at the neighborhood gathering at Patty's pool. You were wearing a shirt emblazoned with the word "HOPE." In spite of your unspeakable grief, you unwittingly encouraged ME, (a complete stranger). Thank you. We have been praying for you for weeks. And we'll continue to lift you up . . .because when people share a common faith, there really are no strangers . . .blessings and courage to you,stasia demos mills"

"Randy, Suzie, and Amanda-Caitlin gave me the sad news of Kelsey's passing and all the memories of that day when Kelsey's battle began, came flooding back. I cannot imagine your grief right now, loosing your daughter and sister. From the beginning of Kelsey's battle with cancer you all have shown such grace and loyalty to make sure Kelsey had every medical care possible, while putting aside your own lives. My heart goes out to you all and you will all be in my thoughts and prayers.Lori and Gary HivelyCaitlin and Adrienne Scherer"

"Kelsey,I will never forget you.Your smile,your sweet hands I used to hold and of course, your beautiful red hair.I will always believe that you were sent here to teach all of us how to love each other.love always,Your ( Bebbie) and friend, Debbie"

"Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire family."

"Randy, Suzie & Amanda,We are so very sorry to hear of Kelsey"

"Randy, Suzie and Amanda:We are very sorry for your loss. Such a beautiful picture of Kelsey....She looks so happy. I'm sure it's because of all of you. Kelsey will always be special to those who were lucky enough to know her. We are unable to attend Friday, but you are all in our thoughts and prayers. Hope to see you soon.Much Love,"

"For the year long that I spent knowing Kelsey, I find myself truly blessed and honored. Kelsey taught me a lot about myself and my relationship with my daughter. She opened my heart to giving and inspiring others to do the same. I'll forever be grateful and will continue to hold onto the light that she shined on my life. God Bless Kelsey and her family."

"Kelsey and I lived across the hall from each other last year. In our short time together it didn't take long to see how wonderful Kelsey was. She truly did have the smile that would light up the room. I thank God for the time we shared and fun memories we made. She will be greatly missed but always held close to our hearts."

"Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. I am deeply saddened to hear about your loss. "

"Dear Tatum Family: I did not know Kelsey personally, but I had Amanda in my English class a few years ago. I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of all of you. Kelsey made such an impact at Westfield High School, even on those of us who did not have the opportunity to know her personally. Kelsey taught us about life with her positive attitude and determination. What an amazing family all of you are. I will certainly be visiting the ST. Jude website soon. My thoughts are with you. Dawn Knight"

"I am Laura Elstro's sister. I have many fond memories of hanging out with Kelsey and Laura. She brought joy into Laura's life. I have been praying for your family and Kelsey. God Bless"

"Suzie,I am very sorry that I am unable to attend the service on Friday, but you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I feel your pain. Be strong and take care.Amy"

"My deepest sympathies for your loss of beautiful Kelsey. You are all in my prayers."

"Susie, Amanda and family...Please know how sorry I am for your loss. Kelsey was one of my favorite patients. She had the maturity that many people never attain. We would laugh and have so much fun when she came to my office. When i saw her name on my schedule I knew it would be a great day. Again my thoughts and prayers are with you.....I will talk to you soon. Julie Schnieders"

"I knew Kelsey from a class I took with her at Marian College. We sat across from each other and would smile at each other whenever our Asian Philosophies professor would talk about something that was over our heads. Kelsey was such a sweet girl and though I only knew her for a semester, I know that she is a strong, beautiful, and smart young lady who was proud of who she was. I will miss her very much. Remember to celebrate her life!"

"I will miss seeing Kelsey walking down the Clare Hall hallways. She always seem to have a smile on her face no matter what was going on in her life. Some times as she would walk by my office I'd yell from inside it and she'd turn around and come to the office door to talk for a few minutes. She and her family will be in my prayers. Kelsey, we will miss you at Marian College."

"Kelsey was a very special young lady that captured my heart with her smile. I admire her for the strength she had to fight the battles of her illness. As I'd go about my job around Clare Hall, we talk about her illness and having strength in the Lord that he would see her through it. I'm praying for her and that she sleeps well in the Lord."

"Doug and I were so sorry to hear about Kelsey. She was a tremendously brave young lady. I saw Kelsey a few years ago as I sat in the Gap dressing room waiting for my daughter. She was contemplating what she had just tried on, made a decision, smiled, and headed out of the dressing room. I thought to myself how pleased I was that she was having a teenage retail moment like everyone else there. It still makes me smile to think about it. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.Fondly,Cindy and Doug"

"Although Kelsey's time here was cut short, she left a life full of memories for us all to remember. Her strength throughout these past years has inspired me to persevere through my life. I know that no words can truly alleviate the sorrow, but I want you to know that a piece of Kelsey will forever remain in my heart and those that had the opportunity to know her. I pray that you find peace of mind and heart through all of this. God bless you all."

"Dear Tatum Family,I was so saddened to hear of Kelsey's passing. What a battle over these past 7 years. I still remember the day she first got sick. Although I only worked with Kelsey for a brief time tutoring, she made such an impression on me. She, and you all, have remained in my thoughts and prayers over the years. Amanda, I have especially thought of you this past week, as I cannot imagine how hard it has been to lose your sister. I am so very sorry. The strength you have all exhibited is truly an inspiration to others. I, like all those who knew her, will never forget Kelsey. May God grant you all a way to find peace.With deepest sympathy,Dana"

"I just learned of Kelsey's passing today (Oct. 7). I didn't have the pleasure of meeting your wonderful, remarkable, beautiful daughter and sister. But I certainly have personally known those qualities in her parents. I want you to know that my heart aches for your family, and that I'm thinking of you. "

"Kelsey was a very strong and sweet person. I was the president of the Marian College Psychology club for the '04-'05 school year, I believe Kelsey was a "new face" to Psychology club that year. I remember she helped us out at "Marian Knights Called to Serve." We had been asked to clean up the Gardens near the Teahouse and re-plant new flowers. We worked very hard, and Kelsey was certainly one of the hardest workers there! We had a whole lot of fun that day too - riding around on one of the college's golf carts, seeing how many people we could pile in the cart and then how fast we could go on the little paved roads. I recall Kelsey thought that was pretty funny once we convinced her "it'll be fun." We all had a blast that day! I'm thankful for such a great memory of a wonderful person. I didn't know Kelsey very well, but I feel privilaged to have met her. My best to the family."

"Dear Susie, Randy and Amanda,We're so sorry to hear of Kelsey's passing. We know that god will wrap his arms around you in your time of need. Kelsey was so blessed to have had such a loving, caring and wonderful family as you. If there is anything you need please call on us. With much love, John, Kim, Matt, Kaleigh, Sydney."

"Our thoughts and prayers are constantly with you, Randy, Susie and Amanda during this difficult time. There are no words to express our sorrow--just know that it is profound. We are comforted in the fact that Kelsey is now with God and enjoying her new life."

"I did not really know Kelsey very well but I do remember seeing her around Marian campus. She was always smiling and would always say hello. I am very sorry for your loss."

"We are so sorry for your loss. Our prayers are with you."

"I just wanted to express my sympathy for the loss of your daughter.I did not know Kelsey very well, but i do remember seeing her around school. I was in psych club and I remember being in that with her also. She was a very sweet and polite young girl. I will keep your family in my prayers. God bless."

"Kelsey was a fantastic young woman with an amazing spirit of love. Her spirit will be with all of my ESA sisters, as we will continue to raise money for St. Jude Research Hospital. Her love will be with me forever, and for that, I am grateful. Thank You, Kelsey, for being a part of my life. My prayers and thoughts are with you all. God Bless You. "

"My heart is broken for you. I can never express to you how grateful I am to Kelsey for what she did for Hayley. Your whole family has been such an inspiration. I'll be sure to pass by the F is for Family poster everytime I go back to St. Jude and I will smile--thinking of Kelsey's beautiful smile and your love for her. Love always, Colleen Arceneaux"

"Randy, Suzie, and Amanda,Our first bonds with the Tatum family was when our auction business, Chaudion's Auction Mart - located in Cicero, held an auction for St. Jude's as we do every year. Someone told us about Kelsey. We met with Suzie to get the information about Kelsey. We had a wonderful time that year. Kelsey came to represent St. Judes. It was a moment we will never forget. It amazed me as to how well she seemed to be eventhough she was sick. She had such a glow on her face and a warm spirit about her that I think she inspired everyone who met her that day. We also had Scotty Zion, Elvis impersonater from Anderson, a stringed band that played, & a young & beautiful singer from Hamilton Heights High.School. The proceeds, from our auction that night, went to St. Jude's Hospital. We are so blessed to have met the Tatum family and especially Kelsey. Thank you for sharing her like with us.Charles W. & Sheila Chaudion"