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KAYSVILLE — Twelve-year-old Adelaide Clinger, known as Addy to her friends and family, was remembered at her funeral service Saturday for her love of social media and ability to "light up a room with an infectious smile."
At the service, held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Kaysville Stake Center to an overflow crowd, speakers included a dozen of Addy's cousins and friends, as well as her mother, Elizabeth, and her older sister, Camberra.
"Wow, we go all the way back there. It shows how many people were touched by Addy and her life," Camberra said, expressing her gratitude for all the support the family has received since Addy's death.
"It's been so amazing. And who knew that this would happen and this would be the response? It's just a crazy thing," she said, thanking the crowd for attending. "I know that me and my family appreciate that. I know Addy would appreciate that."
Addy died after she was accidentally shot by a younger sister at the family's home on Nov. 23, just hours after she had given a talk at her Angel Park Ward about gratitude.
"I know she as a very grateful girl," her mother said Saturday. "She felt truly blessed for her loving family and friends."
Her mother said Addy defined gratitude as the "quality of being thankful" and the readiness to show appreciation.
"Most of the time she did that. There were a few times she was a little ornery," Elizabeth Clinger said, smiling briefly during her tearful speech. "We're going to remember the times she did."
Addy's church talk ended, her mother said, by thanking her parents and her sisters "for being my best friends and always being amazing examples to her and for taking her to church."
Her mother read Addy's obituary, describing her as "being loved by all. She loved all of you. Full of energy and laughter, she always was able to light up a room with an infectious smile even if she was trying to hide her teeth."
Addy's friends and cousins recalled her interest in social media, especially in taking "selfies," pictures of herself and others shared through social media.
We grieve today not so much for Addy, as we do for Liz and for Nathan (her parents), for Camberra, for Trinity, for Victoria (her sisters), for grandpas and grandmas, cousins and relatives and friends, while at the same time we rejoice in the knowledge of where she is.
–Elder Lynn G. Robbins, LDS Church
Friend Sydney Arveseth, who called herself Addy's twin, said the pair had been best friends since meeting at 3 or 4 years old, but Addy could not be trusted to borrow her cellphone.
"She would take my phone for two minutes and she would have already taken over 1,000 selfies, I swear. She's the reason I have no storage left on my phone," Sydney said.
She said Addy posted the quote, "Let your faith be bigger than your fear" recently.
"Through the past few days, that quote has been running through my head," Sydney said. "It has helped me so much."
Another friend, Morgan Mojica, said Addy was her first friend when she moved into the neighborhood a year ago.
"She was a blessing to me," Morgan said.
"I don't think it was a coincidence that she gave her first talk right before the accident," Morgan said. "She was meant to share her faith and love to all of us so we would remember how strong her heart is and to strengthen our own."
LDS Church Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy offered closing remarks, telling the crowd that "if we had a time machine, we would travel back one week and prevent last Sunday's unfortunate accident."
Then, Elder Robbins, a relative of the family, said the Lord's timing must be trusted.
"We grieve today not so much for Addy, as we do for Liz and for Nathan (her parents), for Camberra, for Trinity, for Victoria (her sisters), for grandpas and grandmas, cousins and relatives and friends, while at the same time we rejoice in the knowledge of where she is."
