Funeral For Lauren McCain

Associated Press
Published: April 25, 2007

A 20-year-old college student who was killed in the massacre at Virginia Tech was remembered in funeral services Wednesday as a devout Christian dedicated to spreading her faith.

About 250 family and friends turned out at the Aydelotte Baptist Church for the funeral of Lauren McCain. She was one of 32 people killed on April 16 by student Seung-Hui Cho, who then committed suicide.

Her body lay in a casket surrounded by flowers, photos of the young woman and the seal of Virginia Tech.

McCain was born in Midwest City and spent several years of her childhood in McLoud before her father's Navy career took the family ut of state. Her parents wanted her buried in Oklahoma because several family members live in Shawnee, Durant and Calera.

Jill Anderson, who taught Sunday school at the Aydelotte Baptist Curch, said she remembered McCain as happy, cheerful and smiling.

"She joined right in the class with participation," Anderson said. "We're just really sad to lose her. To be so young and to have such a love for the lord and not be ashamed of it."

Navy Chaplain G.W. Felder recalled baptizing McCain in the ocean when her father was stationed in Florida. Felder does not know how to swim and recalled being nervous in the water.

"She gave me some words of encouragement and said it would be all right," he said.

Leonard Riley, pastor at the family's church in Hampton, Va., the Restoration Church, recalled waiting with the family after news of the shootings broke.

"As we waited for word, we prayed and we wept," he said.

He said the young woman was a pleasure to be around.

"Lauren was salty wherever she was," he said. "She brought flavor, she brought zest."

McCain is survived by parents, David and Sherry McCain; brothers, Joel and Christian; and sister, Abby.