"Free and Easy Forever" Memorial

In September 2015, a memorial was dedicated in honor of four victims of tragedy, who were also SUNY Oswego alumni. Located between Seneca and Tyler Halls, the memorial was dedicated in honor of Lynne Hartunian ’89 and Colleen Brunner ’90, two victims of 1989’s Pan Am Flight 103, and Michael Hannan ‘89 and Richard Caproni ‘89, both victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. Dubbed “Free and Easy Forever,” the memorial took its name from “Wooden Ships” by Crosby, Stills and Nash, Hannan’s favorite song. “Free and Easy Forever,” was built using funds from the classes of ‘89 and ‘90, the collection of which began in 2013. The original renderings were unveiled as a special event during Reunion 2014. The memorial accompanies the already existing memorial tree, also in honor of Hannan and Caproni.

"I worked with a group of alumni from the classes of ‘89 and ‘90 for about a year and a half, a couple of my colleagues in Alumni and Development and our Facilities staff, assisting in raising the money, planning the design and getting the memorial installed. ‘Wooden Ships’ questions who really wins in a violent conflict and calls attention to the universal qualities of humanity. The memorial perpetuates the song's message and memorializes the four individuals and their untimely deaths." - Betsy Oberst, Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations and Stewardship