1of39Grace McDonnell died in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn. on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.Contributed PhotoShow MoreShow Less2of39Lynn and Chris McDonnell carry pink and purple balloons following a Memorial Mass for their daughter, Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
3of394of39Lynn and Chris McDonnell carry pink and purple balloons following a Memorial Mass for their daughter, Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less5of39Lynn and Chris McDonnell carry pink and purple balloons following a Memorial Mass for their daughter, Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
6of397of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less8of39Lynn and Chris McDonnell carry pink and purple balloons following a Memorial Mass for their daughter, Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
9of3910of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less11of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
12of3913of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less14of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
15of3916of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less17of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
18of3919of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less20of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
21of3922of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less23of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
24of3925of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less26of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
27of3928of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less29of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
30of3931of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less32of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
33of3934of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less35of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
36of3937of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less38of39A Memorial Mass for Grace McDonnell, a student victim of the Newtown shootings, is held Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Conn.Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
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NEWTOWN -- A dark blue urn bearing the name "Gracie" in gold script sat Friday in the nave of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church.
It held the ashes of 7-year-old Grace Audrey McDonnell, one of 20 first-graders killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School a week earlier. White seashells arrayed beside the urn reflected the girl's love of the beach.
Grace's friends and family fought pounding wind and rain to reach the church, which filled slowly. The mourners' mood was respectful and reserved. They had come to celebrate a life that had been cut short.
The service program bore images of wind swept beaches, rolling surf and the young girl with a bucket in hand and a smile in her eyes.
Lynn McDonnell, wearing a black dress, offered a eulogy for her daughter.
"You are not only my daughter, you are my best friend, my soulmate, my teacher of life, love and peace," McDonnell read from the last entry she had made in her daughter's journal.
Her husband, Christopher McDonnell, added this in closing: "The presence of seashells brings the message that every passing life brings something beautiful to the world."
Then the McDonnell family watched a balloon launch from the lawn of the church, before driving away with Grace's ashes.
