Schoolfriends’ tears for Jessica
9:26am Thursday 21st February 2013 in News
SCHOOLFRIENDS carried individual pink roses as they followed 12-year-old Jessica Jevons’ pink coffin out of the church following her funeral.
The youngsters were among hundreds of people who turned out yesterday to celebrate the life of the St George’s RC High School pupil.
Mourners packed into Christ the King Church, in Manchester Road, Walkden, to remember Jessica, who was found dead at her home in Mereclough Avenue, Walkden, on February 5.
They included dozens of classmates, and pupils from Walkden High School.
The youngsters carried flowers to the hearse filled with floral tributes, including including her name spelled out in white and pink flowers.
A cardboard sign, with a photograph of Jessica and messages from her schoolfriends, was also placed in the hearse and mourners left messages in a book of condolence.
Jessica’s parents, Michelle and Duncan, and her three brothers, including her twin Patrick, were joined by family and friends.
Father John Broadley led the service in which he described Jessica as “full of life and full of energy”.
He said the youngster was a “loving, gifted, happy person, with boundless energy” and added: “What Jessica will do in Heaven is what she did best on Earth, simply being herself, wanting to help and wanting to do good.”
The service included a reading from the Bible about a 12-year-old girl who was brought back to life by Jesus.
Fr Broadley told the congregation he knew many people were wishing that “the same story could happen today”.
He pointed to a photograph of Jessica on the front of the funeral service card, which was decorated with tiny butterflies, and said that was the memory people would have of her.
The church service was followed by a committal at Agecroft Crematorium.
There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Jessica’s death and an inquest has been opened and adjourned at Bolton Coroner’s Court.
Jessica’s family have asked for donations to be made to The Gaddum Centre for young carers.
Her family will have more sadness today, when the funeral of Jessica’s aunt, 42-year-old Lynn Booth, takes place at Overdale West Chapel in Bolton.
Miss Booth, a mum-of-seven and the sister of Jessica’s mum, Michelle, was found dead in her Farnworth home two days after Jessica died.
