Shoels was laid to rest wearing his graduation cap  TOWNMEETING: Listening after Littleton INTERACTIVE View images of the Shoels' funeral RELATED VIDEO CNN's Charles Zewe brings us highlights from Littleton's goodbye to Isaiah Shoels Windows Media 28K 80K

April 29, 1999
Web posted at: 5:34 p.m. EDT (2134 GMT)

In this story: 'Little Man' with big heart Governor: Resolve to say 'No more' RELATED STORIES, SITES

LITTLETON, Colorado (CNN) -- A week of funerals for the 15 who died in the Columbine High School shooting ended Thursday with a packed church service for Isaiah Shoels. The last of the victims to be buried, Shoels was put to rest in the cap and gown he would have worn at graduation next month.

Nearly 5,000 students, teachers and friends turned out to mourn the 18-year-old football player at the Heritage Christian Center.

"This is the last piece. Now the healing begins," said the Rev. Larry Russell, the center's executive pastor. "I don't think the healing could begin until today."

Shoels' parents, Michael and Vonda, embraced each other and shivered as their son's silver casket was closed before the services began.

Speakers at the services talked of his easy smile and how classmates liked to be around the friendly youngster.

Classmates enjoyed him so much that they competed to work with him on group assignments, Columbine principal Frank DeAngelo said.

"Isaiah Shoels, thank you for having such a positive impact on our school and on our family. You will be greatly missed, and I love you, my dear child," DeAngelis said.

King bemoaned the "glorification of violence" in American culture

'Little Man' with big heart

Ministers focused on celebrating the young man's life. One clergyman told mourners that they were gathered "not because Isaiah has left this world," but "because he lived."

The youngster had overcome serious heart problems and his small physical stature to play football.

Columbine student Nick Foss, an 18-year-old senior who was slightly injured in the shooting and bombing attack on the school, attended the service with his twin brother, Adam. Foss said he used to call his friend, the 4-foot, 11-inch, (1.2-meter, 28-centimeter) Shoels, "Little Man."

"He's smiling down on us," Foss said. "I know he is."

Witnesses say teen-age gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold targeted athletes in their deadly attack, and some say they killed Shoels because he was black.

Governor: Resolve to say 'No more'

"I stand before you this afternoon as a victim of violence," Martin Luther King III said. "I understand, brother Shoels and sister Shoels and family, I understand. I was 10 years old when my father was gunned down."

The son of the famous civil rights leader also bemoaned the "glorification of violence" in American culture, especially in movies and video games, which he said had sown the seeds for the Columbine blood bath.

Many tears were shed for Shoels

Gov. Bill Owens also spoke, saying there were no words that would ease the pain of Isaiah's family and friends after his brutal murder.

"I think that we have to resolve today, that given this tragedy, we do everything we can -- no matter what our color, no matter what our religion, no matter what school we go to, no matter what we have done in the past -- that we do whatever we can in the future to try to say, 'No more,'" the governor said.

"When does this stop? When does it end?" said William Collins, Isaiah's grandfather. "I'm tired of laying to rest politicians, engineers, athletes, musicians, artists, janitors and sanitation haulers who are robbed of reaching their potential."

One of several ministers who spoke at the service told the Shoels family, "Our hearts have been with you even as our hearts have been with every family that has gone through this horrible tragedy."

Mourners were told to put away both guns and hate.

"Isaiah Shoels died in a room that was filled with hate and darkness. But now he lives in a beautiful heavenly room filled with light and beauty," said Alvin Braswell of the Pipkin Mortuary.

Isaiah, the second of the Shoels' five children, had planned to follow in his father's footsteps and become a music executive.

The singing group "Silk" performed the song, "The Greatest Love of All," bringing many in the church to their feet.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.