Service pays tribute to slain television reporter, cameraman

FILE - This undated file image made available by WDBJ-TV shows reporter Alison Parker, left, and cameraman Adam Ward. Community religious leaders gathered Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015 to remember Parker and Ward, who were shot and killed by a former co-worker on Aug. 26. (Courtesy of WDBJ-TV via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT FILE - This undated file image made available by WDBJ-TV shows reporter Alison Parker, left, and cameraman Adam Ward. Community religious leaders gathered Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015 to remember Parker and Ward, who were shot and killed by a former co-worker on Aug. 26. (Courtesy of WDBJ-TV via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT

By Associated Press August 30, 2015 2 min read

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) – Community religious leaders gathered Sunday to remember 24-year-old reporter Alison Parker and 27-year-old cameraman Adam Ward, the two television journalists who were shot and killed while working last week.

The interfaith service at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke was filled with somber prayers across several religions, along with music from the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and others.

The ceremony began with a slideshow of the WDBJ-TV journalists wearing warm smiles as they worked as a tag-team on stories.

In his remarks, WDBJ-TV General Manager Jeffrey Marks recalled that Parker and Ward were almost never angry. Marks said he suspected that the most you would get out of Parker was an “emphatic ‘darn,” and then she would be back hard at work.

“Adam and Alison saw that as their mission — to awaken us to what is good and fun in life,” Marks said.