BY KARIN KAPSIDELIS
Richmond Times-Dispatch
His classmates in his music theory class at the College of William and Mary didn't know what stomp dancing was, so Gus Deeds got up and demonstrated.
He played multiple instruments, including the trombone, piano and mandolin, and sang.
He spoke with "this really awesome drawl" that reflected his pride in his Appalachian heritage, said his academic adviser, Brian Hulse, associate professor of music theory and composition at W&M.
"He was just so sweet and happy," he said. "I just don't understand this at all."
Word that Austin Creigh "Gus" Deeds, 24, died Tuesday morning of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after an altercation with his father stunned those who knew him at W&M.
Deeds, one of four children of state Sen. Creigh Deeds, withdrew from W&M a month before his death. A music major, he had entered W&M after graduating from Bath County High School in 2007 but had not been enrolled continuously during that time.
His family had sought psychiatric treatment for him the day before the attack that left his father hospitalized with multiple stab wounds.
At W&M, the younger Deeds is remembered as an exuberant and talented musician.
"I adored the kid and thought he was a really special, unique person," Hulse said. He had "a wide, expansive personality," and his comments in class were always "really rich and full of insights."
Hulse said he had been receiving emails and texts all day from students who knew Deeds. "A lot of people really, really loved that guy."
Maura Brennan, a junior from Fairfax County, said Deeds' "entire goal was to make people smile."
Brennan, who was in the class last year where Deeds gave the stomp dance demonstration, said he was greatly admired in the music department.
She said Deeds didn't talk about himself much. "He always wanted to talk about you or, if he did talk about himself, it was to tell you a story to make you smile," she said.
Brennan said she was not aware that he had left school. The last time she saw him, he "seemed upset about something. It was really jarring for me because every other time he was cheerful and earnest."
But she remembers thinking that "even the most cheerful people have bad days. That was my thought at the time."
Hulse said he knew Deeds had previously left school because of problems and thought he had received religious support of some kind that "had given him structure or whatever he needed to come back to school."
But he said he was not aware of current issues with his psychological health.
Deeds, who had performed with W&M's Appalachian Music Ensemble, was interested in music composition and had spoken with Hulse about studying privately with him, he said.
"He was definitely an offbeat kind of character, and it did not faze him in the least," Hulse said. "He was happy being different, and just always exuberant and funny and kind."
Deeds had a strong academic record, the college said in a statement. W&M said the student affairs staff was "reaching out and offering assistance to those who were closest to Gus."
In 2009 he helped his father in his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign. Jared Leopold, a campaign aide, recalled "Gus bringing out the banjo for an impromptu concert" outside a Southside campaign event.
"During grueling days on the 2009 trail, Gus always brought a smile to his dad's face," Leopold said by email. "You could really tell the difference in Creigh the moment Gus joined us on the road."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
His classmates in his music theory class at the College of William and Mary didn't know what stomp dancing was, so Gus Deeds got up and demonstrated.
He played multiple instruments, including the trombone, piano and mandolin, and sang.
He spoke with "this really awesome drawl" that reflected his pride in his Appalachian heritage, said his academic adviser, Brian Hulse, associate professor of music theory and composition at W&M.
"He was just so sweet and happy," he said. "I just don't understand this at all."
Word that Austin Creigh "Gus" Deeds, 24, died Tuesday morning of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after an altercation with his father stunned those who knew him at W&M.
Deeds, one of four children of state Sen. Creigh Deeds, withdrew from W&M a month before his death. A music major, he had entered W&M after graduating from Bath County High School in 2007 but had not been enrolled continuously during that time.
His family had sought psychiatric treatment for him the day before the attack that left his father hospitalized with multiple stab wounds.
At W&M, the younger Deeds is remembered as an exuberant and talented musician.
"I adored the kid and thought he was a really special, unique person," Hulse said. He had "a wide, expansive personality," and his comments in class were always "really rich and full of insights."
Hulse said he had been receiving emails and texts all day from students who knew Deeds. "A lot of people really, really loved that guy."
Maura Brennan, a junior from Fairfax County, said Deeds' "entire goal was to make people smile."
Brennan, who was in the class last year where Deeds gave the stomp dance demonstration, said he was greatly admired in the music department.
She said Deeds didn't talk about himself much. "He always wanted to talk about you or, if he did talk about himself, it was to tell you a story to make you smile," she said.
Brennan said she was not aware that he had left school. The last time she saw him, he "seemed upset about something. It was really jarring for me because every other time he was cheerful and earnest."
But she remembers thinking that "even the most cheerful people have bad days. That was my thought at the time."
Hulse said he knew Deeds had previously left school because of problems and thought he had received religious support of some kind that "had given him structure or whatever he needed to come back to school."
But he said he was not aware of current issues with his psychological health.
Deeds, who had performed with W&M's Appalachian Music Ensemble, was interested in music composition and had spoken with Hulse about studying privately with him, he said.
"He was definitely an offbeat kind of character, and it did not faze him in the least," Hulse said. "He was happy being different, and just always exuberant and funny and kind."
Deeds had a strong academic record, the college said in a statement. W&M said the student affairs staff was "reaching out and offering assistance to those who were closest to Gus."
In 2009 he helped his father in his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign. Jared Leopold, a campaign aide, recalled "Gus bringing out the banjo for an impromptu concert" outside a Southside campaign event.
"During grueling days on the 2009 trail, Gus always brought a smile to his dad's face," Leopold said by email. "You could really tell the difference in Creigh the moment Gus joined us on the road."
BY KARIN KAPSIDELIS
Richmond Times-Dispatch
His classmates in his music theory class at the College of William and Mary didn't know what stomp dancing was, so Gus Deeds got up and demonstrated.
He played multiple instruments, including the trombone, piano and mandolin, and sang.
He spoke with "this really awesome drawl" that reflected his pride in his Appalachian heritage, said his academic adviser, Brian Hulse, associate professor of music theory and composition at W&M.
"He was just so sweet and happy," he said. "I just don't understand this at all."
Word that Austin Creigh "Gus" Deeds, 24, died Tuesday morning of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after an altercation with his father stunned those who knew him at W&M.
Deeds, one of four children of state Sen. Creigh Deeds, withdrew from W&M a month before his death. A music major, he had entered W&M after graduating from Bath County High School in 2007 but had not been enrolled continuously during that time.
His family had sought psychiatric treatment for him the day before the attack that left his father hospitalized with multiple stab wounds.
At W&M, the younger Deeds is remembered as an exuberant and talented musician.
"I adored the kid and thought he was a really special, unique person," Hulse said. He had "a wide, expansive personality," and his comments in class were always "really rich and full of insights."
Hulse said he had been receiving emails and texts all day from students who knew Deeds. "A lot of people really, really loved that guy."
Maura Brennan, a junior from Fairfax County, said Deeds' "entire goal was to make people smile."
Brennan, who was in the class last year where Deeds gave the stomp dance demonstration, said he was greatly admired in the music department.
She said Deeds didn't talk about himself much. "He always wanted to talk about you or, if he did talk about himself, it was to tell you a story to make you smile," she said.
Brennan said she was not aware that he had left school. The last time she saw him, he "seemed upset about something. It was really jarring for me because every other time he was cheerful and earnest."
But she remembers thinking that "even the most cheerful people have bad days. That was my thought at the time."
Hulse said he knew Deeds had previously left school because of problems and thought he had received religious support of some kind that "had given him structure or whatever he needed to come back to school."
But he said he was not aware of current issues with his psychological health.
Deeds, who had performed with W&M's Appalachian Music Ensemble, was interested in music composition and had spoken with Hulse about studying privately with him, he said.
"He was definitely an offbeat kind of character, and it did not faze him in the least," Hulse said. "He was happy being different, and just always exuberant and funny and kind."
Deeds had a strong academic record, the college said in a statement. W&M said the student affairs staff was "reaching out and offering assistance to those who were closest to Gus."
In 2009 he helped his father in his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign. Jared Leopold, a campaign aide, recalled "Gus bringing out the banjo for an impromptu concert" outside a Southside campaign event.
"During grueling days on the 2009 trail, Gus always brought a smile to his dad's face," Leopold said by email. "You could really tell the difference in Creigh the moment Gus joined us on the road."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
His classmates in his music theory class at the College of William and Mary didn't know what stomp dancing was, so Gus Deeds got up and demonstrated.
He played multiple instruments, including the trombone, piano and mandolin, and sang.
He spoke with "this really awesome drawl" that reflected his pride in his Appalachian heritage, said his academic adviser, Brian Hulse, associate professor of music theory and composition at W&M.
"He was just so sweet and happy," he said. "I just don't understand this at all."
Word that Austin Creigh "Gus" Deeds, 24, died Tuesday morning of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after an altercation with his father stunned those who knew him at W&M.
Deeds, one of four children of state Sen. Creigh Deeds, withdrew from W&M a month before his death. A music major, he had entered W&M after graduating from Bath County High School in 2007 but had not been enrolled continuously during that time.
His family had sought psychiatric treatment for him the day before the attack that left his father hospitalized with multiple stab wounds.
At W&M, the younger Deeds is remembered as an exuberant and talented musician.
"I adored the kid and thought he was a really special, unique person," Hulse said. He had "a wide, expansive personality," and his comments in class were always "really rich and full of insights."
Hulse said he had been receiving emails and texts all day from students who knew Deeds. "A lot of people really, really loved that guy."
Maura Brennan, a junior from Fairfax County, said Deeds' "entire goal was to make people smile."
Brennan, who was in the class last year where Deeds gave the stomp dance demonstration, said he was greatly admired in the music department.
She said Deeds didn't talk about himself much. "He always wanted to talk about you or, if he did talk about himself, it was to tell you a story to make you smile," she said.
Brennan said she was not aware that he had left school. The last time she saw him, he "seemed upset about something. It was really jarring for me because every other time he was cheerful and earnest."
But she remembers thinking that "even the most cheerful people have bad days. That was my thought at the time."
Hulse said he knew Deeds had previously left school because of problems and thought he had received religious support of some kind that "had given him structure or whatever he needed to come back to school."
But he said he was not aware of current issues with his psychological health.
Deeds, who had performed with W&M's Appalachian Music Ensemble, was interested in music composition and had spoken with Hulse about studying privately with him, he said.
"He was definitely an offbeat kind of character, and it did not faze him in the least," Hulse said. "He was happy being different, and just always exuberant and funny and kind."
Deeds had a strong academic record, the college said in a statement. W&M said the student affairs staff was "reaching out and offering assistance to those who were closest to Gus."
In 2009 he helped his father in his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign. Jared Leopold, a campaign aide, recalled "Gus bringing out the banjo for an impromptu concert" outside a Southside campaign event.
"During grueling days on the 2009 trail, Gus always brought a smile to his dad's face," Leopold said by email. "You could really tell the difference in Creigh the moment Gus joined us on the road."
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