JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Friends and family began on Thursday the heart-wrenching process of saying goodbye to the victims of the Easter night boating tragedy.

Elisabeth Rosefeld, a 20-year-old Nease High School graduate who was attending the University of North Florida, was the first of the five people killed Sunday to be laid to rest.

The crash happened on the Intracoastal Waterway when a boat carrying 14 people struck a docked tugboat.

Five passengers died, and the nine others were injured.

Rosenfeld's funeral took place in Ponte Vedra Beach. At the request of her family, Channel 4 did not attend to honor their privacy, but those who did said it was special.

"Today, there was a standing-room only crowd," said Nease assistant principal Fred Cole.

He said he had a special relationship with Rosenfeld, and still has her signed picture posted on his office bulletin board. The program from Thursday's services is now posted near the picture.

"You could really see the amount of people across the generations that she touched. There was everyone there from the white-haired guys like myself, to kids that obviously went to school with her, to kids that are still here today," Cole said.

He said he first heard about the crash Monday morning but refused to believe Rosenfeld was onboard the boat until he watched the news that evening.

Cole said there's not doubt Rosenfeld's death is a loss for him and anyone who knew her.

"She just had a smile -- one of those young ladies that just lit up everything," Cole said. "She really held her emotions on her sleeve. When she was happy, everyone knew she was happy. When she wasn't happy, they all knew she wasn’t happy. Most of the time she was happy."

Later in the day Thursday, a viewing was held at Jacksonville Memorial Gardens in Orange Park for 42-year-old Inmaculada Pierce.

The visitation began with a private viewing for the family, and then many others streamed in to pay their respects.

Pierce, who went by Macu, worked at the YMCA in Orange Park. Her co-workers and friends described her as "irreplaceable" and full of joy.

Just how devastating the boating accident was to so many different people throughout the community was evident as family and friends mourned.

The investigation into exactly what caused the fatal boat wreck is ongoing.

The owner of the boat, Melvin Bethel, was recently released from the hospital just in time to attend Rosenfeld's funeral.