Claremont High School has been shaken this week by the loss of one of their own families.

Claremont residents Randy and Vicki Whittle, along with their 2 children, MacLean and Brittany, died on Sunday as the result of a plane crash shortly after take-off near the runway at the Burley Airport in Idaho. The family was headed to Provo, Utah to visit Brigham Young University.

According to the Associated Press, only a wingtip and engine were recovered from the wreckage that was left after the plane caught fire. The cause of the crash has yet to be determined.

“They were a really good family,” Claremont High School ASB office manager Lynn Forester said. “They were here for just a year but they made an impact. They were a real close-knit family and so it was appropriate that they all went together because that’s the way they were in life.”

Mr. Whittle was president of Clarity Wealth Solutions—a Glendora based organization that promotes a proactive approach to preserving and growing personal wealth. The financial expert held a financial seminar at Claremont Graduate University in May. 

MacLean, 16, was slated to be a senior at CHS this fall while Brittany, 13, would have been a freshman. Both were musically inclined with MacLean anticipating being a member of the CHS Chamber Singers and Brittany joining the CHS Choir department. MacLean was also a pianist.

“They were both great kids, excellent musicians and I think this is a real loss to the whole school community,” CHS Choir Director Joel Wilson told the COURIER earlier this week.

According to CHS Speech & Debate adviser Dave Chamberlain, MacLean was a student with a heart for those less fortunate. The CHS instructor recalled helping the 16-year-old with an Eagle Scout project earlier this year.

“He was providing blankets for an organization that reaches out to children with special needs and I made a donation to that,” Mr. Chamberlain said. “It’s extremely sad because he was very talented. He came into my AP Composition class, which is pretty tough, and was excited and vibrant about what he was learning. There was a good spark about him.”

—Landus Rigsby