Local community gathers to remember 16-year-old girl who lost life in crash
photo by Karla Smith Andrea Winrod, 16-year-old daughter of Nathanael and Faith Winrod of Tecumseh, is pictured here before the Gainesville High School prom last year.
Andrea Winrod was known for her strength, and in many of her photos she chose to be photographed with her arm flexed to show that fierce side of her personality. She sported the pose in the photos here, taken by local photographer Karla Smith, during softball season (above) and again during this year’s basketball season (below), where she and her younger sister Amie were teammates.
A group of Andrea’s friends and teammates gathered at the crash site last week to enact a memorial in honor of the GHS junior. In their photo, they chose to sport Andrea’s signature post - arms flexed in a display of strength.
photo by Karla Smith Gainesville photographer Karla Smith shared this graphic of Andrea before her funeral last week. Smith, who has photographed Andrea for several years, included the hashtag “#11Forever,” referencing Andrea’s Lady Bulldog jersey number for basketball and softball.
Ozark County’s close-knit community is mourning the tragic loss of 16-year-old Andrea Winrod, a Gainesville High School junior, who was killed in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 5 north near Wasola on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
The daughter of Nathanael and Faith Winrod of Tecumseh, Andrea was known for her vibrant spirit, boundless energy and deep love for her family. One of seven siblings, she thrived in the warmth and joy of a large, loving household. Her absence has left a void in the hearts of her family, friends, teammates and the entire community.
At Gainesville High School, Andrea excelled both in the classroom and in her extracurricular pursuits. Teachers and classmates remember her determined attitude and strong dedication to her pursuits, which made her a standout student. Her interests were varied, ranging from a love of horses and sports to her remarkable talent for singing and playing the guitar.
A real force on the basketball court
Andrea’s athletic abilities shone brightest on the basketball court, where she was a key player for the Lady Bulldogs. Last season, as a sophomore, she earned all-conference honors, averaging 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.
In an Ozarks Sports Zone winter preview article this year, Gainesville girls’ basketball coach Lance West, praised Andrea’s versatility and work ethic.
“Andrea had some big games for us last year,” West said. “She is very strong, rebounds well, and is one of the hardest-working players on the floor. She is a triple threat; she can drive, shoot and sees the floor well to find her open teammates. We were leaning on her to be an effort leader for our team this season.”
The loss has hit her teammates especially hard. Assistant Coach Stacy Garrison has accompanied groups of players to visit Andrea’s family, where her father, Nathanael, spoke of “the divine purpose God gave to Andrea.”
“There are moments in life when time seems to stop, and nothing feels the same,” Garrison shared in a heartfelt Facebook post. “The loss of our sweet Andrea has impacted our community so profoundly. She was our spark, our fire, our heart. Without her, we will never be the same. But as her family said, she won the race. May we race with the passion and desire that honors her memory...”
Last week, a group of her teammates and classmates gathered at the crash site to erect a memorial in honor of Andrea. Garrison said that GHS agriculture teacher Jon Wilson made the blue cross that the students placed on the roadside in honor of their friend. Another cross was mounted a little higher on the hill by another group of friends. Posters of her photos with blue balloons are mounted near the crosses.
Although many tears have been shed by the group, it was Andrea’s strength they chose to embody when Garrison asked the students to gather for a photo in front of the memorials. Just before the shutter clicked, they drew inspiration from Andrea herself, striking her signature pose—flexing their arm muscles—a gesture she was known for and loved to display in photographs.
Celebrating Andrea’s life
Andrea’s celebration of life dinner, held at Gainesville High School last Saturday afternoon, drew an estimated 400-500 attendees, including more than 100 members of relatives on both her mom’s and dad’s sides of the family. Earlier that day, a funeral service was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mountain Home, where the Winrod family are active members.
The community came together to feed the large group at the gathering. The school provided pulled pork, brisket, and chicken strips, while members of Gainesville Church of Christ, First Christian Church, Frontier Baptist Church, Freedom Church, Lilly Ridge Baptist Church and other community volunteers brought a variety of potluck sides. Desserts were provided by Mammoth Assembly of God and Gainesville First Baptist Church.
The dinner featured heartfelt musical performances by Ron Yarger, Tim Prososki and Zack Yarger, including two songs requested personally by Andrea’s family.
“We want to thank everyone who had a hand in helping with the celebration of life dinner,” said Superintendent Justin Gilmore.
Grieving together
In the wake of the tragedy, Gainesville High School has offered grief counseling services to students and staff.
On the day after the crash, eight counselors stayed on the GHS campus, along with pastors from the Ozark County Ministerial Alliance, allowing students to visit if and when they wished. Counselors have remained available to help students, teachers, staff and school employees process the loss with ongoing support, Gilmore said.
This week, the Lady Bulldogs will be back to the court, but there is no doubt that there will be an undeniable hole where #11 once stood. Her absence will also be felt at home, in classrooms and in countless other places where her presence once brought so much joy.
Though Andrea is no longer here to share her infectious smile, her influence remains. Her teammates and loved ones will carry her memory forward, inspired by the way she embraced life—with determination, kindness and an undeniable spark for life. In moments when moving forward feels too difficult, they will remember her fiery spirit, her radiant smile and her signature pose: arm flexed in a gesture of strength. And in her memory, they will find their own strength to continue on.