This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Former Batavians Lose Granddaughter in Newtown Tragedy

Former St. Mark's Church missionaries had moved to Newtown to be near their son's family. Their granddaughter, Charlotte, was one of the first-grade victims.

Update: Here is visitation and memorial information for Charlotte Bacon.

The tragedy of Newtown, CT, extends to Geneva and Batavia.

Facebook posts and Internet records indicate that Dan and Lindie Bacon, former residents of Batavia and members of St. Mark's Church, are the grandparents of Charlotte Bacon, 6, one of the 20 first-graders who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The tragedy has hit our own Geneva," a Facebook post said. "Dan and Lindie Bacon, who were members of St. Mark's church, moved to Sandy Hook to help their son and daughter-in-law care for their two young grandchildren. Their granddaughter, Charlotte, was one of the 1st grade victims. Please pray for this family and for all the families that are trying to get through such a senseless loss. I'm beyond tears."

On Friday morning, 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot his mother, then broke into the elementary school and opened fire using semi-automatic weapons, killing six adults and 20 children, including Charlotte, according to police.

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dan and Lindie Bacon were missionaries with OMF International, an organization that brings the gospel to many of the countries in East Asia and has pioneering ministry in the rest.

A post on the OMF Australia Facebook page shares the sad news.

"Tragically OMF'ers Dan and Lindie Bacon's six-year old grand-daughter Charlotte was one of the children shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. Lord Jesus, bring healing to the broken hearts of many ... "

Geneva's St. Mark's Church website lists Dan as the chair of the church's Mission Commission.

Dan and Lindie had moved to Newtown to be with their son, Joel, his wife, Joanne, and their children, Charlotte and her older brother, Guy.

"They were pretty much the nicest people you could imagine ... always willing to help anyone in need," says a post in ReadingEagle.com, a Pennsylvania news website, in reference to the Bacon family. Joel was a graduate of Conrad Weiser High School in Robesonia, PA.

Dan and Lindie Bacon were at a mission workshop in Canada in January 2012, when they wrote a Christmas letter explaining their plans. At that time, there were still recovering from injuries they had sustained in a car accident two years earlier.

"Assuming we can relocate, we are aiming now to move to Connecticut to live close to our youngest son and family so they we can be of help to them and they to us," the letter says. "Please pray for the Lord’s clear direction and provision."

How to Help Families Affected by Newtown School Shooting

The United Way of Western Connecticut, in partnership with Newtown Savings Bank, created the Sandy Hook School Support Fund to help provide support services to the families and community that are affected.

Check donations may be mailed to: 

Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470

If you have questions on the fund, you may call 800-461-0672.

A former Sandy Hook Elementary School student named Ryan Kraft, also a longtime neighbor of the Lanza family, , saying he set up a fund to help heal his community.

The link to the fund site is here — http://www.crowdrise.com/SHSRelief — and according to Kraft, all monies are directed toward the school's PTSA organization.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.