Lighting Lanterns to Remember Former Barnesville Coach, Concordia Basketball Player Killed in Crash 1 Year Ago

BARNESVILLE, Minn. – Barnesville community members lit up the sky for 28-year-old Jaynie Halvorson Wednesday night. She was taken from them exactly a year ago, killed in a car accident.

Halvorson was a basketball and volleyball coach at Barnesville High School.

Those who were close with her say lighting the lanterns were not meant to reflect on their loss but instead about celebrating her life.

Part of the proceeds from the lanterns sold will go to her one-year-old son Hoyt.

“We played both our volleyball season, our basketball season in her honor and felt her almost every game. She’s changed everybody’s life and we really want to have closure and an opportunity to praise her and celebrate the fact that she’s in heaven right now and there’s going to be a day where we’re going to be with her and be able to give her a hug and celebrate everything again with her,” Jaynie’s friend Jane Passa said.

The women’s basketball team at Concordia College also lit lanterns for Halvorson after their game. She was on the team from 2007-2011.