Her energetic and caring personality and her constant smile and contagious laughter intrigued everyone around her. Not afraid to express her opinion, tell a couple of jokes or bounce around a classroom, junior Ashlie McRae brightened every room she entered.

“She was very energetic,” junior Emily Landers said. “She was really weird, always jumping around all over the place. She was a free-spirited person–she was always really happy and liked to have fun.”

Ashlie was born on March 24, 1998, in Winfield, Alabama. She died May 28 in Nash, Texas. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Central Baptist Church, 2117 E. 35th St., in Texarkana, Arkansas.

A respected member of the junior varsity softball team and drum line, Ashlie affected the lives of many band members.

“She had a nickname from me and one of my friends, Connor Howell,” sophomore Jake Weems said. “One day I was running away from her and the door I tried to go through was locked, so I turned around and she jumped up and drop kicked me in the chest with boots. It was really funny, so she got the nickname ‘Redneck Ninja’ from us.”

Not only did Ashlie make an impact on her friends in band, her teachers will remember her as being a joy in the classroom.

“She was always ready to help or read in class,” English teacher Kara Wicks said. “She was great to have in the classroom because she was never afraid to share her opinion. I think something we will always remember in our class is that she always smiled and smiled at the others around her.”

For Professional Communications teacher Amy Kemp, it was their love of music that they bonded over during class.

“Ashlie was such a joy to have in class, such a sweet spirit. [She] always had a story and a smile on her face,” Kemp said. “We would have conversations about our mutual love of Alabama, music and concerts and the THS drumline.”

Ashlie affected everyone she crossed with her positive personality and radiant smile.

“[She] was a beautiful person all around,” junior Emily Nixon said. “From the way she held herself to her strong drive. If you ever needed a good laugh or a shoulder to cry on, she was the person for it. I got blessed to call her my sister and partner in crime.”