Town bids farewell to Celina Cass
Broken-hearted pay tribute to girl found in river
By Ira Kantor
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 -
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 -
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ShareSurrounded by Celina Cass’ artwork and photos, hundreds of friends, loved ones and community members bid farewell to the 11-year-old Stewartstown, N.H., girl during a public celebration of her life last night in the Canaan, Vt., school gymnasium where the shy, athletic fifth-grader played basketball.
“She brought a lot more to us than we could ever imagine in her short time,” said Stewartstown school nurse Kirsten Lyons, one of the speakers, who described Celina as “our guardian angel.”
The youngster’s body was found a week ago in the Connecticut River and was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Lancaster, N.H., yesterday, Lyons said. Celina’s family attended last night’s service but did not speak, she said.
Other speakers paying tribute to Celina included her basketball coach Paula Doyon and a classmate, Natalie Purrington. The service began with a guitarist playing Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven.”
Projected photos of Celina stirred laughter and tears, said family friend Rebecca Goodrum of nearby Beecher Falls, Vt.
“There was a lot of emotion. There were funny pictures we laughed at, other pictures that showed her playing with some smaller children, that was touching,” said Goodrum, who knew Celina since the girl was 2 years old. “It’s hard. She is a year behind my daughter and her and my daughter were pretty close.”
Authorities have deemed Celina’s death suspicious. She was last seen in her home at about 9 p.m. July 25.
Celina’s teammates will dedicate their upcoming basketball season to her memory, Goodrum said.
“It’s just hard to think it could have been any of our children,” she said. “It’s just not supposed to happen here and for somebody of her innocence to be taken, that was just wrong.
“She brought a lot more to us than we could ever imagine in her short time,” said Stewartstown school nurse Kirsten Lyons, one of the speakers, who described Celina as “our guardian angel.”
The youngster’s body was found a week ago in the Connecticut River and was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Lancaster, N.H., yesterday, Lyons said. Celina’s family attended last night’s service but did not speak, she said.
Other speakers paying tribute to Celina included her basketball coach Paula Doyon and a classmate, Natalie Purrington. The service began with a guitarist playing Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven.”
Projected photos of Celina stirred laughter and tears, said family friend Rebecca Goodrum of nearby Beecher Falls, Vt.
“There was a lot of emotion. There were funny pictures we laughed at, other pictures that showed her playing with some smaller children, that was touching,” said Goodrum, who knew Celina since the girl was 2 years old. “It’s hard. She is a year behind my daughter and her and my daughter were pretty close.”
Authorities have deemed Celina’s death suspicious. She was last seen in her home at about 9 p.m. July 25.
Celina’s teammates will dedicate their upcoming basketball season to her memory, Goodrum said.
“It’s just hard to think it could have been any of our children,” she said. “It’s just not supposed to happen here and for somebody of her innocence to be taken, that was just wrong.
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