GANS, Okla. — Tara Barnett Underwood and Taylor Sharp were employees of LaFerry’s Propane in Gans, Okla. when they were killed on June 18.
"They weren't just colleagues, these were family members of ours," CEO of Cleveland Petroleum Products Stephen Southward said. "And our employees felt that way, and so did our customers.”
Cleveland Petroleum Products owns the eight LaFerry’s Propane locations in Arkansas and Oklahoma. According to Southward, the company has been in business since the 70s and sells propane, gasoline, and diesel.
Southward said he has been getting calls from numerous customers who had the chance to interact with Tara and Taylor regularly.
"They just treated them like family," Southward said. "Whatever it took to take care of the matter, whether it was to make a delivery or to get a bill paid, they went the extra mile to help with that, and they were just amazing at that."
Randy Barnett, Tara's father, said Southward has been going above and beyond to make sure the family’s needs are met, including food and household needs.
In a phone interview with 5NEWS, Barnett said that he may have lost a daughter, but the love he has been getting from the community and Southward has been amazing.
"Anyone during this moment, when you care about people, you want to help and you really want to be there for them," Southward said.
In addition to helping the immediate families after the tragedy, Southward said he and his company are also donating to a celebration of life event for Tara and Taylor on July 20.
"The event hosts allowed us to be able to provide some of the food for that and baskets," Southward said. "Anyone can bring baskets to any of the various locations, and those baskets will be auctioned off, and those proceeds will be given to the family for their future and what's next for them."
The event is taking place at the Sequoyah County Fairgrounds and will go from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Southward said that the lives of Tara and Taylor have inspired everyone at work.
"I think it's given everyone that we've talked to the resolve to be in the moment and to make each day count," he said. "Tara and Taylor had an opportunity to make theirs count every day, and they did."
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