Funeral arrangements set for six fire victims

WARREN

When presented with the problem of how to provide a burial to the six people killed in Thursday morning’s house fire on Landsdowne Avenue Northwest, the community went to work.

Pastor Joe Cameneti of Believers Christian Fellowship in Howland offered the use of his church for the funeral, other area pastors agreed to ask their congregations for donations and “everyday people” offered food, rides and other assistance.

“A tremendous weight has been lifted,” said Daniel Johnson of Columbus, sitting inside the Sterling-McCullough Williams Funeral Home on Main Avenue Southwest Tuesday morning.

“It’s been just awesome,” said Johnson, father of Audrea Johnson, 31, and grandfather of Ja’Niece Hicks, 13, of Columbus, two of the six killed.

Audrea’s two children, Derek Dorsey Jr., 11, and Ariell Dorsey, 9, as well as her children’s father, Derek Dorsey Sr., 30, and Derek Sr.’s niece, Miracle Hugley, 9, were also killed.

Four of the bodies were taken to the Sterling-McCullough Williams Funeral Home, but insurance and funds to pay for funerals didn’t exist, said Bob Dean, a Warren councilman.

Sterling-McCullough is handling funerals for Audrea Johnson, her two children and Ja’Niece Hicks.

So as he has done in the past, Dean contacted area pastors, who began to ask their congregations for contributions on Sunday. Other churches will collect for the funerals this weekend, Dean said.

On Tuesday, Dean and several of the pastors turned over checks totaling about $6,000 to the funeral home. The money was collected by the pastors who participate in the Trumbull County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, as well as others.

The ministerial alliance has raised $2,728, Believers Christian Fellowship has offered $5,000, Grace Fellowship Church of Warren has offered $2,000, and money was also provided by the Church At Warren and AGAPE Assembly of Warren.

Many churches will continue to collect funds this weekend, and an account has been established under the name Johnson-Dorsey at all Huntington Bank branches in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Funeral arrangements for Derek Dorsey Sr. and Miracle Hugley are being handled by the Staton-Borowski Funeral Home in Warren.

Funeral services for all six will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at Believers Christian Fellowship, 2577 Schenley Ave. NE. All four will be buried in Oakwood Cemetery.