ORLANDO, Fla. (MEDIA GENERAL) – The first funerals were held Thursday for victims of Sunday’s deadly massacre at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub.
Dozens of mourners surrounded a black hearse at Osceola Memory Gardens Cemetery in Kissimmee, Florida, where the body of Kimberly “KJ” Morris was taken for burial.
Morris, 37, moved to Orlando a few months ago and was working as a bouncer at the gay nightclub where she and 49 others were shot and killed.
Jessica Frazier was an acquaintance of Morris’ and told the Associated Press she was always very positive, no matter what was happening.
Starr Shelton, an ex-girlfriend, told The Orlando Sentinel that Morris was excited to work at Pulse and wanted to get more involved in the local LGBT community.
Narvell Benning played college basketball with Morris at Post University.
“I can’t think of a time when I did not see a smile on her face,” Benning told the Sentinel. “I’m so thankful [for] the good memories I have of her.”
A visitation for victim Orlando victim Javier Jorge-Reyes was also held on Wednesday.
Friends called the 40-year-old “very humble,” a “lovely friend” and “always positive.”
Jorge-Reyes was a top salesman at the Gucci store in Orlando where he worked. He was also a makeup artist.The Associated Press contributed to this report.