Community, businesses aid fire victims

Published 5:22 pm Sunday, April 22, 2001

By By SHERRY DIGMON
Advance Staff Writer
A devastating mobile home fire Easter morning has moved many individuals and businesses to come to the family's aid.
Three children died in the fire. Two brothers were from Walnut Hill. A little girl, Lara Marshall, 9, related to them, was from Frisco City.
The funeral for the brothers, Jason Richardson, 8, and Junior Richardson, 3, was held yesterday.
Robinson Funeral home donated the service and the caskets for the brothers.
Watson Vault Company in Pensacola donated the vaults.
County Commissioner Wiley Tait contributed financially.
Zion Star A.M.E. Zion Church donated programs for the service.
The mobile home was totally destroyed and the family lost everything.
Immediately after the fire, the Red Cross gave the survivors vouchers for food and clothes.
A Jacksonville, Fla., company is donating a double-wide trailer.
Home Depot in Pensacola held clean-up day Saturday morning so the site will be ready when the new trailer arrives.
Members of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola delivered clothes to the Walnut Hill Fire Station.
A fund has been set up at First National Bank in Atmore.
Her mother, Katie Mae Marshall, had 10 children in the trailer with her that night, according to Tracey. Two of the children belonged to Tracey who lives behind her mother.
She had taken Bernard, 2, and Makayla, 1, over to her mother's trailer that evening. When she came back that night, they were asleep so she left them and went home to bed.
Surviving the fire with Marshall's two children were Jerry Russell, 15; Yolanda Richardson, 12; Deidra Richardson. 10; Amber Richardson, 7; and Anthony Showers, 9.
Dianne Stewart with the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department said items may be dropped off at the fire station. Please call 327-6575 to arrange for someone to be there.
The fund at First National Bank is "Katie Mae Marshall Special Fund." Please write "savings account" on the memo line.

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