Throngs of mourners gathered Thursday morning at a South Carolina church for the first funeral for victims of the Charleston massacre, followed by an emotional burial ceremony where some family members gave the Black Power salute over a slain grandmother’s coffin.
The first funeral was for 70-year-old Ethel Lance, a Charleston native who had been a member of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the shooting occurred June 17, for most of her life.
She served as a sexton at the church for the last five years, helping to keep the historic building clean, and she loved gospel music.
The ceremony came as relatives of Dylann Roof, who has been charged with murdering Lance and eight others in the church, released a statement offering their condolences to the victims’ families.
‘We would like to take this time to reflect on the victims and give their families time to grieve,’ the statement said, according to USA Today. ‘We feel it would be inappropriate to say anything at this time other than that we are truly sorry for their loss.’
It continued: ‘We ask that right now, care and attention and support be given to the grieving family members of the victims.’
Powerful gesture: Family members give the Black Power salute at the casket of Ethel Lance as she is buried at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church cemetery in North Charleston, South Carolina June 25
Son’s grief: Gary L. Washington, son of Emanuel AME Church shooting victim Ethel Lance, holds a rose up as he prays during her burial
Children in mourning: Daughter Sharon Risher (2nd R) and son Gary L. Washington (L) bid a tearful goodbye to their slain mother
Family members of Ethel Lance are helped away during her burial at the Emanuel AME Church Cemetery
Dignified: The family and friends view the casket holding Emanuel AME Church shooting victim Ethel Lance at her funeral at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston
Heartbroken: A family member of Ethel Lance prays during the funeral at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church
Inconsolable: Family members and friends of the massacre victim sobbed during the emotional service Thursday
One last caress: A member of the family says a final goodbye to Ms Lance before the closing of the casket
The grandchildren of Ethel Lance hug after delivering remarks at her funeral at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston
Paying her respects: Marelyn Rivers, 92 years old, arrives to attend the funeral for Ethel Lance, 70, who was among the nine people gunned down June 17
Slain matriarch: Mourners walk past a picture of Lance, 70, who is survived by five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren
Lance had five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
‘She can be a symbol for love,’ said grandson Brandon Risher, one of several grandchildren to speak. ‘Hate is powerful but love is more powerful.’
People dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs and batted at the muggy air with cardboard fans handed out at the door. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mayor Joe Riley and Gov. Nikki Haley and US. Rep. Mark Sanford attended.
Haley appeared crestfallen as she clutched a white tissue tightly in her hand.
Lance’s body, dressed all in white, lied in a casket with a spray of white roses on the led, flanked by other floral displays.
Members of ‘Mother Emanuel,’ the Charleston church where Lance and the eight others were killed, were asked to stand.
They said: ‘Sister Lance, we are here! Mother Emanuel, we are here!’
That church’s full choir sang the opening hymn, ‘When I’ve Gone the Last Mile,’ and Scripture passages were read aloud. The Rev. Norvel Goff, interim leader of Emanuel AME, delivered the eulogy.
‘I’m here for the family because it’s a great loss,’ said Alexis Mouzon, a high school classmate of Lance’s daughter.
A somber South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (C) attends the funeral services for Ethel Lance
Familiar faces: The Rev. Jesse Jackson (right) and the Rev. Al Sharpton (left) attended the solemn gathering
Hundreds of people, among them dignitaries, turned out Thursday morning for Ethel Lance’s funeral service
One of Ethel Lance’s grandchildren speaks during her funeral service in North Charleston
There was no shortage of tears and embraces during the emotional service honoring the matriarch
Ethel Vance’s grandchildren console one another during her funeral service at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church
Services for Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45, followed Lance’s funeral. She was an assistant pastor at Emanuel AME and one of the nine people slain when police say a white man opened fire during a Bible study in a racially motivated attack.
Funerals for the other victims were set to happen over the next week, including one Friday for the church pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney.
Police officers stood guard and checked bags as people filed into the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston.
The increased security comes amid growing tensions over the shooting, the Confederate flag and other symbols of the Confederacy around the South and elsewhere.
A monument to former Confederate President Jefferson Davis had the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ spray-painted on it Thursday in Richmond, Virginia, the latest of several monuments to be defaced around the country.
The memorial service for Ethel Lance got under way at 11am. She was laid to rest immediately after the funeral at the Emanuel AME Church Cemetery.
Ms Lance had been a member of the historic black church for most of her life. She retired after working for more than 30 years on the housekeeping staff at the city’s Gaillard Auditorium. She had served as a sexton at the church for the last five years, helping to keep the historic building clean.
She was also a lover of gospel music.
Mourners young and old: Pleshette Grant and her son, Evan Grant, arrive to pay their respects to Ethel Lance Thursday
The first funeral was for Lance, who had been a long-time member of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Full life: Lance retired after working for more than 30 years in housekeeping. She had served as a sexton at the Emanuel AME Church for the last five years
Lance’s funeral will be followed by a burial service at the Emanuel AME Church cemetery
Family and friends follow out the casket holding Ethel Lance following the emotional funeral
The Reverend Al Sharpton (R) watches as pallbearers carry the coffin on its way to the cemetery
‘She was a God-fearing woman,’ said granddaughter Najee Washington, 23, who lived with Lance. ‘She was the heart of the family, and she still is. She is a very caring, giving and loving woman. She was beautiful inside and out.’
‘Granny was the heart of the family,’ her grandson Jon Quil Lance told The Post and Courier. ‘She’s a Christian, hardworking; I could call my granny for anything. I don’t have anyone else like that’.
Lance had five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
In the afternoon, a funeral was be held for Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45, a speech therapist and mother of three who was also a part-time minister at Emanuel AME Church.
Her son, Chris Singleton, who is at college, wrote on his Twitter page after the shooting: ‘Something extremely terrible has happened to my mom tonight, please pray for her and my family. Pray asap.’
Hundreds of people filed into the Mount Moriah Baptist Church for Coleman-Singleton’s memorial after being screened by police officers who searched each bag at the door.
An image of Sharonda Singleton, one of the nine people killed in the shooting at Emanuel AME Church, decorates a banner during her wake Thursday
The station Live 5 News reported that the mother of three reposed in her coffin dressed in a white robe with an Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority stole.
At the funeral, her friends, family and invited dignitaries, among them the Revs Jackson and Sharpton, Governor Haley and Mayor Joe Riley, celebrated Coleman-Singleton’s life as a mother, teacher, coach and a woman of faith.
‘She was just a ray of light,’ Star Miller, Singleton’s best friend, said. ‘She loved the Lord. She died serving the Lord. That I take comfort in, and I’m just going to miss her.’
On Friday, a funeral will be held at the College of Charleston for state Senator Clementa Pinckney, 41, who was senior pastor at Emanuel AME.
A funeral was held Thursday afternoon for Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (left) and right), 45, was a speech therapist and mother of three
Nine black parishioners were gunned down by 21-year-old Dylann Roof during a bible study class at the Emanuel AME Church June 18
Some 4,000 mourners filed past state Senator Clementa Pinckney’s open casket Wednesday as he lay in state at the Statehouse rotunda
President Barack Obama will deliver the eulogy, and the service will also be attended by the first lady and Vice President Joe Biden.
Some 4,000 mourners filed past Senator Pinckney’s open casket Wednesday as he lay in state in the lobby of the South Carolina Statehouse. Additional viewings were planned in his hometown in Ridgeland Thursday afternoon and at Emanuel AME church Thursday night.
Services for the other victims were set to happen over the next week.
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