POCOLA (KFSM) -- A retired teacher from the Pocola School District is the victim who died in a multi-vehicle crash Friday (Sept. 8) -- a crash that shut down Highway 112.
"Outside of a colleague, she's been a life-long friend," said a current teacher in the district, Britton Reaves.
Reaves knew Sandy Wilson for a long time.
"I think my daughter's last class was the last class that she taught," he said.
"When they came and told us (what happened), of course, word spreads quickly and the kids start coming in (and) there was lots of tears shed."
Reaves said a loss like this is deeply felt in a small town like Pocola.
"You see them at the ball fields, in the basketball gym, the grocery store on the weekends and the post office on a Monday, and that's when you get to know that person authentically."
Wilson was especially well known. A retired teacher, still volunteering free time and tutoring students. But now, all Reaves can think of is the flower girl at his parents' wedding.
"To think of her being that age, to me, is kind of unique. Once they're adults, you see them as adults. As a teacher, you see them as a teacher. But to remove her from that role and think of her as a nine year old child. It puts that into perspective as relevant and makes it more (easy to relate to) to people I think."
Those who knew Wilson describe her as loving and compassionate. She was 66 years old.
Services for Wilson will be on Wednesday morning at Trinity Baptist Church.