Evelyn Dieckhaus’ (9) was the primary funeral held for victims of mass taking pictures at The Covenant School, the place authorities say a 28-year-old ex-student killed six folks, together with three youngsters, earlier than being shot lifeless by police.
(AP Archive)
Family and pals of Evelyn Dieckhaus, one in every of three youngsters who have been killed in a college taking pictures in Nashville this week, have remembered her as a “shining light” and mentioned farewell to a lady who liked artwork, music, animals and snuggling along with her older sister on the sofa.
The funeral on the Woodmont Christian Church on Friday in Nashville’s Green Hills neighbourhood was closed to the media. Before the service, the church’s senior minister, the Rev. Clay Stauffer, echoed what Evelyn’s household has shared about her.
“She was a shining gentle. She was radiant,” Stauffer told The Associated Press.
“I feel our problem is to take her gentle and preserve spreading it to a world that has a lot darkness and ache.”
Evelyn’s was the first funeral held for the victims of Monday’s mass shooting at The Covenant School, where authorities say a 28-year-old former student killed six people before being shot and killed by police.
The church is a couple of miles from the school and is across the street from the Woodmont Baptist Church, which served as the reunification point for surviving children and their parents after the attack.
Dozens of people poured into the Woodmont Christian Church’s main sanctuary for the service. Many of the women and girls wore pink dresses to honor the grieving family’s request to dress in pink and green “in tribute to Evelyn’s gentle and love of color.”
With the pinkish-purple flowers of redbud timber blooming and mourners donning pastel colours, it seemed as very like an Easter service as a funeral for a nine-year-old woman who introduced pleasure and luxury to her family members.
READ MORE: Gun violence in US killed ‘over 10,000’ to this point in 2023
Today is 9 y/o Evelyn Dieckhaus’s funeral. Her household describing her as a “shining light”. Funeral visitors are invited to put on pink or different joyful colours in tribute to Evelyn’s gentle & love of colour. A charitable fund has been made to shine a light-weight on the causes closest to her. pic.twitter.com/ex19Zjf0Tr
— Aaron Cantrell (@AaronTheNewsGuy) March 31, 2023
‘Constant beacon of pleasure’
The different two youngsters who died within the assault, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, have been additionally 9.
The three adults who have been killed have been the 60-year-old head of the college, Katherine Koonce, a 61-year-old custodian, Mike Hill, and Cynthia Peak, a 61-year-old substitute trainer.
In an obituary given to The Associated Press by a household pal, Evelyn was described as “a constant beacon of joy” who liked crafting and drawing, enjoying along with her two canine Mable and Birdie, singing alongside to tunes by Taylor Swift and from the Broadway present “Hamilton,” and hanging out along with her beloved huge sister, Eleanor.
Stauffer, the minister, mentioned he has been making an attempt to impress upon Evelyn’s household, whom he described as “incredible people,” that they are not going by means of this alone.
“We’ll celebrate her life this afternoon, and then we’ll continue to show up and to be there to love and support the family,” he mentioned.
That work began as quickly because the ambulances, hearth vans and police automobiles went previous his church on the day of the taking pictures.
He went throughout the road to Woodmont Baptist to assist reunite the frightened youngsters and fogeys.
“It’s been surreal and a nightmare that we are waiting to wake up from,” mentioned Stauffer. “It’s been one of the hardest weeks you could imagine.”
READ MORE: Nashville shooter was ex-student with detailed plan to kill
Source: AP
Source: www.trtworld.com
