Rancho Mirage mother remembers teacher killed in school shooting

Hundreds gathered in Pomona Saturday to celebrate the life of 53-year-old Karen Smith, the teacher killed inside her classroom at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino on April 10. This included Smith’s mother and Rancho Mirage resident, Irma Sykes.

The service was about 4 hours long, and included family members, friends and fellow teachers, many of whom were in their own classrooms at the time of the shooting.

Smith was gunned down by her estranged husband, who then took his own life.

Two of her students were also shot. One of them, 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez was killed.

Smith’s family celebrated her life with music, including her brother playing the saxophone, and one of her son’s playing the guitar.

The family also had a recording of Smith singing.

“I know that Karen is in the presence of the Lord,” Smith’s mother and Rancho Mirage resident, Irma Sykes said. “Her work is finished. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have taken here home.”

A rosary was held for Martinez Friday night in San Bernardino.

His family plans to lay him to rest in Mexico, where he was born.