By Staff
IN MEMORY Representatives from Milling Funeral Home of Union push the casket of Mickey Fitzgerald into Hopewell Baptist Church in Little Rock on Friday moments before the start of his funeral service. Fitzgerald, 45, was one of five Lockheed Martin employees killed Tuesday by a lone gunman at the Lauderdale County plant.Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star
By Penny Randall / staff writer
July 12, 2003
Mickey Lee Fitzgerald loved his family, loved his friends, loved his job and loved to work in his yard.
Longtime family friend Amanda Laird, who lives near the Fitzgeralds in the Little Rock community of Newton County, said if Fitzgerald wasn't spending time with his family he was working in his yard.
Laird has known Fitzgerald and his wife, Tammie, for most of her life.
Laird and more than 250 others joined together Friday to say goodbye to their friend, one of five people killed Tuesday by a lone gunman while working at Lockheed Martin in Lauderdale County.
Fitzgerald's funeral at Hopewell Baptist Church was the first one for shooting victims. The gunman, Lockheed Martin employee Doug Williams, took his own life Tuesday and was buried by his family Thursday.
Three other victims will be buried today: the Rev. Charlie John "C.J." Miller in Meridian; Lynette McCall in York, Ala.; and Thomas Willis in Yantley, Ala. The fifth victim, Sam Cockrell, will be buried Monday in Meridian.
Family and friends of Fitzgerald, 45, filled the red brick church Friday standing in the back, filling the choir loft and even standing in the doorway and spilling outside.
The congregation stood as Fitzgerald's casket, topped with dozens of bright red roses, was brought into the church. An 8-by-10 photo of Fitzgerald and his wife in a loving embrace was placed on top.
The 35-minute service opened with two women singing the hymn "Precious Moments, How They Linger" first with piano accompaniment and then a cappella.
The Rev. Jimmy McDill of Hopewell Baptist Church, one of two clergymen at the funeral, then spoke.