As the family of 20-year-old Lakesha Gillespie approached her casket Tuesday inside Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church, her mother, Bessie, and sisters, Shonta and Adrian, couldn”t hold back tears. Gillespie”s father, Joe Henry, and brother, Joe, also fought to hold back their emotions as each walked to the casket and gave Lakesha one last kiss goodbye.
An overflow crowd packed the pews, aisles and lobby inside the church in southern Oktibbeha County to remember Gillespie, who died of smoke inhalation Dec. 28 at the Academy Crossing Apartments fire on Louisville Street. She was remembered Tuesday as an artist who loved to draw, sing and dance.
After the service, longtime friend Lola Jenkins pointed to a photo of Gillespie on the front of a program distributed at the funeral. In the photo, Gillespie had a smile on her face and was looking over her shoulder.
“That sparkle,” Jenkins said, looking down at the photo. “She always had that sparkle.”
Jenkins and others described Gillespie as a fun-loving woman who always had a smile on her face. That was part of the reason it was so hard for friends and family to accept her untimely death.
“Kesha was always happy,” Jenkins said. “She was always loving and kind.”
Tangee Spruell, another friend, urged Gillespie”s family to stay strong. Several family members were overcome with emotion throughout the service and left the sanctuary until they were composed enough to return.
“I want to say to the family: God don”t make no mistakes,” Spruell said. “I know it”s tough, but don”t give up. Everything is in God”s hands.”
Rebecca Watts, who sang a hymn during the service, also tried to comfort the family.
“Our loss is heaven”s gain,” she said.
“Sometimes people look at a funeral as a sad thing, but it”s a home-going,” said Betty Bush, who also sang at the service.
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman, Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk and Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins attended all nine fire victims” funerals this week. The funeral for India Williams and her three children, Jacorian Vasser, 6, Richard Vasser Jr., 5, and Kamorian Williams, 2, began 11 a.m. today at the city”s Sportsplex on Lynn Lane. The funeral for Castella Maria Bell and her three children, Ta”Nayia Bell, 4, Jayvion Bell, 3, and Sumaya Bell, 6 months, took place Monday.
“I think this is a tragic event that has touched our community in a very unique way,” Wiseman said. “I feel touched as a citizen of Starkville and as mayor of this city.”
The fire took place in Sistrunk”s ward.
“It”s an event that touched not just the family and the friends of the victims, but the community in total, and you see that in the outpouring of support to the families,” Sistrunk said. “I thought it was important for me (to attend the funerals) just as an expression of support for the family, an expression of respect to the family and friends, and to be a visible reminder that the community supports them through this process.”
Perkins didn”t know any of the fire victims, but sympathized with their families.
“As a community official and as a former vice mayor, I felt it was very important for there to be significant representation from city officials to show support to the family members, loved ones, victims of the fire at Academy Crossing,” Perkins said. “The loss of those individuals has really saddened this community and we pray that God will comfort the family members and the loved ones of those fire victims.”
“Being a long-time citizen of this community and as a public official, and given the overall tragedy of the situation, you have to show support,” Perkins said. “Death is not easy. The loss of one individual is tough. I have had a lot of death in my family and I understand the magnitude of death. To someone who is in bereavement and going through the loss of a loved one, it means so much to see individuals care and show love and show support.”
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