'Thankful for the memories on the field': New Richmond remembers the Doerman brothers
If you ask Dwayne Kuhn, he'd tell you the Doerman brothers were sweet, loving jokesters.
"But I think the word I'd use to describe them is unforgettable," he said.
Kuhn, a New Richmond Youth Sports Association T-ball coach, was among those who spoke Sunday at the baseball fields behind New Richmond Elementary School. The boys, Clayton Doerman, 7, his brother Hunter, 4, and Chase, 3, all played ball with the association.
More: 'Bigger than what happened to them:' Coach remembers boys killed in triple shooting
The children were shot at their home on June 15. Prosecutors say their father, Chad Doerman, lined them up and executed them with a rifle in an act he had been planning for months. Doerman has been arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated murder.
As the community grapples for answers, the sports association is dedicating a baseball field to the trio. It's where they went day in, day out, to play ball with their friends.
Kuhn, who had coached Clayton for three years, said he was never a stranger to any other child. After a teammate struck out once, Kuhn said, Clayton sat down next to him and consoled him.
"He was everybody's friend. He wanted everyone to know he was their friend," Kuhn said. "That's the kind of kid he was."
Hunter is remembered as a talented player. At age 4 he was already a switch-hitter, able to hit the ball from either side of the plate. His coach Brandon Allen cited his quick hands and persistence in all positions, recalling a time when he and his brother Clayton were practicing hitting and trying to outdo one another.
"As fiercely competitive as they were with one another, they also fiercely loved each other," Allen said.
Also thanked at the memorial were local first responders who were at the scene after the shooting. Association president Kristin Bennett said the community was grateful for their work trying to save the children's lives.
Clayton, Hunter, and Chase are remembered for their unconditional love for others and their big hearts. Those lives won't easily be forgotten, she said.
"We're thankful for all the memories on the field," she said, "whether they were playing baseball or just playing in the dirt."
The boys will be honored Monday during two funeral services at First Baptist Church of Glen Este, located at 1032 Old State Route 74 in Batavia, according to their obituary. A visitation will take place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the church, with a celebration of life following.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Community mourns and remembers Doerman brothers killed June 15
