The final four victims of the Academy Crossing Apartments fire were laid to rest Wednesday, but not before a crowd of around 800 people packed into their funeral service at the Starkville Sportsplex.

It was an emotional morning as several family members of 25-year-old India Williams and her three children, too distraught to walk on their own, had to be helped to their seats. One teary-eyed woman was carried from the gymnasium halfway through the ceremony.

Williams and her sons, Jacorian Vasser, 6, Richard Vasser Jr., 5, and Kamarion Williams, 2, died with five others Dec. 28 in their apartment at Academy Crossing on Louisville Street. Funerals were held earlier this week for the other five victims, Lakesha Gillespie, 20, Castella Maria Bell, 18, and her three children, Ta’Nayia, 4, Jayvion, 3, and Samaya, 6 months.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon, Starkville Fire Department Chief Rodger Mann said.

At the Sportsplex Wednesday, Williams and her children were remembered as friendly and outgoing. Latoya Guyton recalled going to her cousin’s house as a child to play.

“India would always drag me to the back of the house to play,” Guyton said. “I can never forget thinking, ‘She talks more than I do.’”

Williams’ children, two of whom were students at Sudduth Elementary School, had that same enthusiasm for life, friends and teachers said Wednesday. The brothers also looked out for each other, said Patricia Miller, who taught Richard in kindergarten at Sudduth.

Miller recalled Richard’s first day of school, when Jacorian, who was in first grade, walked into her classroom and told the teacher to keep him updated on his brother’s behavior.

“I think that made Richard proud, and it made Richard realize that his big brother was looking out for him, and he worked really hard to make his big brother proud,” Miller said.

Richard tried hard in school and, at first, struggled to learn to write. But the boy began to get the hang of it, Miller said.

“I remember when he would sign in, he would put his name all over the page,” Miller said. “R-I-C would be at the top and the other letters would be somewhere else on the page. And I would just look at him and say, ‘Richard, we have to keep practicing. We have to keep trying.’ And he would look at me and say, ‘Yes, ma’am.’”

And then it happened, Miller said.

“One day he came in and he signed in and all the letters were together,” Miller said. “They weren’t in the right order, but they were together. Most of the time they were backward, but they were together. One of the things I loved about Richard was that, even though he got tired of doing the same things over and over, he did them because he knew I wanted the best. He knew in order to give me his best he had to keep trying.”

Williams and her three children were remembered as a family that always gave hugs to friends, family and church members.

Faye Randle, Williams’ aunt, spoke with her on a weekly basis.

“She would call just to say, ‘Hey. I wanted to see how you were doing,’” Randle said.

Pastor Timothy Bourne of Word of Faith Christian Center urged Williams’ family to stay strong.

“It’s God’s peace that’s going to get you through this,” Bourne repeated over and over as the congregation stood and cried out “Amen,” their eyes closed and hands in the air. “I don’t know why this happened, but God will get you through this. You will be like a Timex watch. You will take a licking and keep on ticking.”

The gymnasium erupted in applause while pastors, city officials and other community members clapped on stage.

HOW TO HELP

DONATIONS: Residents displaced by the fire are being aided by the Oktibbeha County chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross is also collecting money to help families with funeral expenses.

About $34,000 had been donated as of Wednesday. Funeral expenses for all nine victims are estimated to total about $42,000, said Oktibbeha County Red Cross Director Becky Wilkes. “We’re just asking people to send more money,” Wilkes said.

To donate, send funds to 100 Felix Long Drive, Starkville, MS 39759, or call 662-323-4621.