Teen killed in accident remembered

A young life taken by an auto accident was celebrated at Bray-Doyle High School on Monday night.

Last Friday morning, Bray-Doyle junior Joe Lumbert, 18, was driving down Cason Road near the intersection of York Road was on his way to school to meet up with his basketball team for a scrimmage.

His truck went off the road, reportedly to miss deer in the roadway, and entered a field where, according to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol report, the truck flipped at least three-and-a-half times, ejecting Lumbert before landing on him and killing him.

The death shook the tight-knit community. Monday evening, hundreds of mourners attended a visitation held at the high school gym, followed by a candlelight service at the football field.

Ray of Hope associate pastor Matt Chambers, a former teacher and coach at the school, spoke at the service.

Chambers had coached Lumbert and spoke of how he was a great student and a hard worker, but emphasized more than anything Lumbert’s kindness.

Chambers mentioned a quote from someone that gave four simple rules to life. All four were “be kind.”

“That’s what embodied, Joe,” Chambers said. “He brought kindness to his relationships.”

He was known to always have a smile on his face.

Chambers said Lumbert cared about everybody and asked for those in attendance to keep Lumbert’s memory alive by being kind.

“Don’t let this moment be the end of the mission of kindness, let this moment fuel the mission of kindness for you,” Chambers said.

Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at the school, the scheduled day to return to class from fall break. The school canceled classes Tuesday and returned to class Wednesday where counselors were to be available to students.

The football team that Lumbert was a part of decided to finish out the season in Lumbert’s memory because that is what he would have wanted them to do. The school is also continuing to hold its homecoming festivities this week and senior night next week. 

T-shirts and car decals are being sold to help the family with funeral expenses. An account has also been set up at First National Bank in Marlow to help with expenses.