HILLSBOROUGH- Hundreds of teens and adults gathered Wednesday afternoon at New Horizon Church to pay their final respects to one of the two Orange High School students who died in Saturday’s car accident.During the memorial service for William Daniel Chase Underhill, known to most of his friends as “Chase,” the majority of the younger attendees opted not to wear suits and ties—instead, they sported camouflage hunting outfits. Orange High senior Adam Hill, who participated on the wrestling team with Underhill, says it was a fitting tribute.

“That was the kind of person he was,” Hill says. “He was very big into hunting and those kinds of things. He wouldn’t want us to dress up and be uncomfortable; he’d want us to be ourselves.”

In addition to the teenaged guests, a row of police officers stood in the back of the sanctuary throughout the service. Between Reverend Jamie McDonald’s remarks, attendees could see a slide show with candid pictures of Underhill and his friends. The montage was accompanied by a country music soundtrack.

At one point during the memorial, McDonald read Underhill’s last letter to his girlfriend, Devon Chamberlain, whose cousin Kacie was also killed in Saturday’s crash. Following the service, an interment took place at St. Matthew Catholic Church Cemetery.

Underhill was one of four passengers in a vehicle that spun out of control and crashed on Little River Church Road at around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. “Speed competition” charges have since been filed against 17-year-old Collin Lunsford. Sam Whaley and McCray Williams, who sustained serious injuries in the accident, were among the casket bearers in Wednesday’s service.

Hill says Underhill would want friends to remember the entire 16 years of his life, as opposed to the final moments.

“He’d just want to be remembered as the happy-go-lucky, good hearted person he was,” he says.

Out of respect for Underhill and Chamberlain, Orange High School has postponed its basketball games scheduled for this Friday until next Thursday, January 10.

A memorial service for Chamberlain is scheduled for this Friday afternoon at 3:00, also at New Horizon Church.