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FOXBORO - Filling St. Mary's Church during a funeral Mass Thursday morning, family, friends and others - including scores of firefighters and police officers -mourned the death of 18-year-old Jacklyn K. Thomas, who the Rev. Steve Madden said "could light up a room simply by her presence."

Thomas graduated from Foxboro High School on June 15, less than two weeks before she was killed in a car crash early last Saturday morning that also seriously injured the passenger, Brendon Civian, 22, of Putnam Road. He has since been released from the hospital.

More than 500 people attended the funeral Mass concelebrated by Madden and the Rev. Jason Makos. Burial followed at the parish cemetery.

Thomas, who resided at 17 Cross St., was the daughter of Michelle M. Lucas and her husband Robert Lucas Jr., a Foxboro firefighter/paramedic, and Kevin S. Thomas and his partner Debra Amos of Walpole.

In his eulogy, Kevin Thomas described his daughter as a "loving, beautiful young woman" who was as direct with him as he was with her. Thomas said he always knew he'd lose his daughter some day, but thought it would be when she married. The packed church erupted in sobs with that comment.

"I foolishly took for granted what precious little time we had together," Thomas said.

He spoke of his daughter's childhood: catching her first fish - a sunfish; hitting a hole-in-one her first try at miniature golf; and her elegance as a skater.

Eight of her girlfriends then gathered at the lectern.

"She will never leave my side now," one said. "We will always be together. I will never forget you, Jackie. You will always be my best friend. I love you girl, and you are our angel."

The friends, huddled in a tearful group, hugged before returning to the pews.

In his homily, Madden said the bereft have two supports: their faith and each other.

"You have seen that a community hurts - a whole lot of people are willing to stand with you," Madden said, addressing the family.

"From the most horrific tragedy, good can come," he said, adding that to make the tears of grief "mean something to Jackie, we must become better people."

More than 30 firefighters, led by Fire Chief Gerald McNamara and Deputy Chief Steve Bagley, marched from Roberts & Sons Funeral Home on Liberty Street to the church on Carpenter Street for the 9 a.m. funeral Mass. They followed Foxboro Engine No. 24 and motorcycle officers Det. Thomas Kirrane and officer David Foscaldo.

Police and firefighters from other communities were also present.

Foxboro's firefighters stood four abreast outside the church as the hearse arrived bearing a silver-toned casket.

Police Chief Edward O'Leary and other officers stood in a row at the street, and lined the back of the church during the Mass.

Following the Mass, firefighters marched along Mechanic Street to St. Mary's Cemetery, followed by scores of vehicles.

On Wednesday afternoon, a drenching thunderstorm hit Foxboro center, but the skies were blue again by 5 p.m., when hundreds of people lined the sidewalk of Liberty Street from South Street almost to Central Street, a distance of several hundred yards, for the start of calling hours.