Parish to honor boys who died

A $5.5 million activity center at St. Patrick Parish in Elkhorn will be named in honor of two boys who died in separate incidents last summer.

The Aspen Seemann & Lane Graves Activity Center, to be completed by fall, will include a kitchen, gymnasium and cafeteria to host games, theatrical events and other activities, and take care of students before and after the school day at St. Patrick School.

Lane Graves, 2, and Aspen Seemann, 3, died in accidents last June. Both families are parishioners.

"I thought it would be comforting and special for them as families," said Father Thomas Fangman, pastor. "I thought it would be a true comfort and help to the parents to know how many, many thousands of children and others would be able to experience life and faith in what happens there, in that building."

The families agreed, Father Fangman said. And now they are discussing a sculpture for the activities center of the two boys, perhaps depicting them with Christ.

"I don’t know for sure what the families’ idea is," Father Fangman said. "But those little boys have a special place together."