San Francisco Catholic School Prepares for Services for Mother, Daughter Killed in Explosion

The St. Cecilia community in San Francisco is preparing to hold services for a student and her mother killed in Thursday's explosion and fire in San Bruno.

Janessa Greig, 13,  and her mother Jacqueline Greig, are among four people confirmed dead, with the death toll expected to climb, as more remains are being identified, and four people are missing.

A vigil will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 2555 17th Ave., San Francisco. A funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday.

Sister Marilyn Miller, principal of St. Cecilia, said the school community is still in shock.

"There's terrible sadness and grief, but luckily we have our faith," said Miller. "That binds us together, gives us hope that even though we are grieving, we miss them, we know they are in God's care."

Grief counselors were at the school Monday for students and staff.

The school is collecting donations for the family. Those who would like to help can make checks payable to St. Cecilia School, 660 Vicente St., San Francisco, CA 94116-3077 and write on the memo, "The Greig Family."

After Sunday services,  students Charlie O'Connell and Liam McFadden had nothing but good things to say about their Janessa.

"She was just the best classmate," said O'Connell, who was in the same eighth-grade class as Janessa. "She was nice to everyone." 

O'Connell said students suspected that Janessa and her family may have been affected by the blast when she did not show up to school Friday. 

By Friday night the names of Janessa and her mother had been released by the coroner, and on Saturday members of the boy's soccer team wore arm bands with Janessa's name to honor her. 

After celebrating Mass Sunday, those who knew the Greigs hugged each other and held back tears. 

Mariwil Wong, a member of the church's Mothers Club, said the church is a very tight-knit community. Wong said she was good friends with Janessa's mother, Jacquelin, who was also a member of the club. 

"I think one word to describe [Jackie] was that she was just beautiful, both outside and in her soul," said Wong.  "She exuded beauty and so do her daughters."

The mother and daughter are survived by Janessa's father and an older sister, who were not home at the time of the explosion.

Asked of a favorite memory of Janessa, many point to the school's "Aladdin" production in 2007, when she played  the Genie character. 

A production coordinator for the play, Leslie Tocchini, said the role could not have been a better match for Janessa's "larger-than-life" persona. 

"Good things come in small packages," said Tocchini of the then fifth-grader who got the part even though lead roles were usually given to junior high students. 

"Her personality was so big that it wasn't hard to cast her among the other junior high students," she said.