More funerals for the victims of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut are planned for today as the Sandy Hook Elementary School looks to starting classes again after the holidays.

The hearse carrying the casket of Daniel Barden, 7, a victim of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, leaves St. Rose of Lima Church
The hearse carrying the casket of Daniel Barden, 7, a victim of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, leaves St. Rose of Lima Church (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)
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The first of today's funerals was for 7-year-old Daniel Barden. He was the youngest of three children, and his family says he was "always smiling" and "unfailingly polite."

Hundreds of firefighters formed a long blue line outside a Catholic church. Daniel wanted to join their ranks one day. Some firefighters came from New York, where his family has relatives who are firefighters.

In the town of Stratford, meanwhile, family members and friends gathered to say goodbye to Victoria Soto. The 27-year-old teacher has been hailed as a hero for dying while trying to shield her students, some of whom managed to escape.

FAREWELL TO A HEROIC TEACHER

A longtime friend says Soto "loved her job" and always described her students as "good kids."

Pallbearers carry out the casket of slain teacher Victoria Soto, 27, following her funeral at the Lordship Community Church in Stratford, Connecticut
Pallbearers carry out the casket of slain teacher Victoria Soto, 27, following her funeral at the Lordship Community Church in Stratford, Connecticut (John Moore/Getty Images)
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Today marks the first funeral for one of the adult victims. A wake and service takes place for 52-year-old Anne Marie Murphy in her native Katonah, New York.

The funeral home says she is survived by four children, her husband, her parents and six brothers and sisters.

At a wake Tuesday for 27-year-old first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, hundreds of mourners, many wearing ribbons in the school colors of green and white, stood in a line that wrapped around a funeral home in nearby Stratford. Soto has been hailed as a hero for dying while trying to shield her students, some of whom managed to escape.

"Big smile, great eyes, just a wonderful person," Lauren Ostrofsky said. "If anyone could be an example of what a person should be today, it's her."

Soto, Barden & Murphy's funerals are scheduled for today along with Caroline Previdi and Charlotte Bacon.

REMEMBERING HIS FORMER JOB

Providence College mens basketball team honors Sandy Hook Elementary School victims
Providence College mens basketball team honors Sandy Hook Elementary School victims (Twitter)
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Providence College honored Sandy Hook Elementary last night by wearing special green jerseys from Nike with "Sandy Hook" across each player's number. Providence coach Ed Cooley, who coached at nearby Fairfield, said "I wanted to do something to honor those victims.It made me feel really, really special that that was able to happen."

Sandy Hook has selected a successor to principal Dawn Hochsprung, who was gunned down trying to stop Adam Lanza's shooting spree inside the school. WVIT TV reports former Sandy Hook principal Donna Page will take over when students begin classes after the Christmas break at the Chalk Hill School in neighboring Monroe, Connecticut.




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