Dependable, conscientious and smart are among the superlatives Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School teachers and friends use to describe U.S. Army Spc. Demetrius L. Void.

“He was absolutely a joy to work with. He was a very, very responsible young man and had a pleasant personality,” said Angelia Fersner, the guidance director for O-W High School/Technology Center.

“He knew where he wanted to go and was very focused on that. You could not ask for a better young man who exemplified very high moral standards,” she said.

The U.S. Department of Defense officially reported Void’s death Wednesday, saying the 20-year-old died Sept. 15 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when a military vehicle struck him while conducting physical training.

Void was assigned in April 2008 to the 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas. He was in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The military said the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation and could not provide any further comment. Void’s family members said Tuesday they were only told the fatality was the result of a hit-and-run.

Void, an A and B honors student, transferred to O-W from St. George’s Woodland High School in his ninth-grade year.

Fersner had the opportunity to work with Void in spring 2007, when he served as a student assistant in her office.

Her “acting secretary,” as she liked to call Void, always brought a professional and confident attitude to the guidance office, Fersner said.

“He was very dependable and made sure that he carried out whatever you needed him to do,” she said.

Fersner recalled how the JROTC student would use his military training in dealing with fellow students, especially when it came to attire. Fersner said O-W requires students to wear pants on their hips and have their shirts tucked in.

“He greeted students at the front desk and said, ‘You can’t go in there until you get your pants up.’ He would say ‘This is an order.’ The Army was his life and he exhibited that authority type of personality when he was working at the front desk,” she said.

The news of Void’s death came as a shock to many at the school, and many were still trying to grasp the loss.

Deborah Hailey, who taught Void English his junior year, described him as an enjoyable and conscientious student.

“He was determined to do what he was assigned and was very competitive in class with the students,” Hailey said. “He always wanted to be on top of everything. He was a very good student.”

Charlene Foster was Void’s senior honors calculus teacher.

“He worked very hard and when he could not understand something, he would always ask,” Foster said. “He was always focused and worked very hard. He was a very fun-loving person.”

O-W guidance counselor Sandra Thomas knew Void for about two years. She said what she will most remember about him is his obedience and dependability.

“He always did what you asked him with a smile,” Thomas said. “He was a very mannerly young man. He got along very well with his peers and teachers. We will really miss him ... and my heart really goes out to his family. He will be missed.”

O-W honors biology teacher Charles Fellers taught Void in the 10th grade.

“He was a quiet, well-mannered young man,” Fellers said. “He gave me the impression of being an intellectual. He was very reserved but not withdrawn.

“He was a gentleman who did good quality work. He was the kind of student teachers love to teach.”

Derrick Austin, who graduated with Void in 2007, said he remembers having several honors classes with him.

“I remember him being very funny and very easy to get along with,” Austin said. “He had very high spirits and was someone you would like to be around.”

Austin, who is a junior psychology major attending the University of Missouri in Columbia, said he remembers Void as a well-rounded person.

“He was a good student and he got good grades, but he always knew how to have fun,” Austin said. “He was always focused.”

In addition to his honors in the classroom, Void was a decorated military man. His awards and recognitions included the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal.

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551. Discuss this and other stories at TheTandD.com.

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