SAUL LOEB / Arizona Daily Wildcat Friends of the three professors slain last week carry photos of the professors through campus yesterday morning after a memorial service at Centennial Hall. Following the service, more than 2,500 colleagues, students and community members joined a procession that led them to the College of Nursing.

Students, colleagues, friends and family of Cheryl McGaffic, Barbara Monroe and Robin Rogers filled Centennial Hall on Monday morning to pay tribute to the beloved women who were killed last Monday.

Nursing students wore ribbons, carried flowers and many tied purple ribbons around their arms. Purple was Robin Rogers' favorite color. A harp played softly at the entrance of the auditorium, where nearly all the 2,800 seats were filled. Nursing students and faculty sat in a group near the front of the auditorium, many holding hands.

"I realize we've lost much more than professors or colleagues here," President Pete Likins said. "We've all lost part of ourselves."

At 8:30 a.m., the auditorium grew silent as the USS Arizona bell rang repeatedly, marking the moment former student Robert S. Flores Jr. shot and killed three of his professors.

After the service, nursing students and faculty walked back to the College of Nursing building for a private service.

Despite the tears, much of the service was spent telling stories about the professors and expressing gratitude for their hard work and dedication to their students.

"I am grateful I knew them and I'm thankful I can be confident that the students in their classes will be successful," College of Nursing Dean Marjorie Isenberg said. "I have never been more proud of my colleagues and the students and staff than this time."

Isenberg said she received many e-mails throughout the past week, stating how greatly the lives of nursing alumni had been impacted personally and professionally because of the professors.

One former nursing student said she remembered McGaffic's constant reminders to never leave a patient's room without touching them. Six years later, she remembers this every day she works.

Nursing students Kimberly Ammons and Sile Schaan remembered McGaffic's constant reminder to the students that it is OK to not be OK.

Students and faculty laughed as nursing clinical associate professor Mary Vencenz fondly remembered McGaffic's colored clogs that matched every set of scrubs she wore.

McGaffic, who taught a course on death and dying, will be remembered for her passion for nursing and her passion for every student and colleague, Vencenz said. Her passion was demonstrated for the living as well as the dying, she said.

"Some give up their lives to be less than they can be," associate nursing professor Paula Meek said. "Cheryl, that was not you. I, we, will live up to your vision of who we can be. We will follow your heart until we are unstoppable."

Nursing faculty member Fran Bartholomeaux remembered Barbara Monroe especially in clinical assessment, resulting in laughter from the nursing staff and students.

"In a clinical assessment you have to check nutrition," Bartholomeaux said. "Barb believed in all five food groups," she said, holding up a jumbo chocolate bar.

A former teacher of Monroe remembered in 1979 when Monroe led the class in taking off their socks and giving them to the teacher to donate to a homeless shelter where she worked.

"Barb would want us all to be OK with crying," clinical nursing instructor Angie Muzzy said. "But she would much prefer us laugh."

One student in the room at the time of the shooting remembered Monroe's reassuring eyes and warm smile as she passed out the test last Monday.

"I just wanted to thank you for that morning," the student said during an open microphone portion of the service.

Students and faculty remembered Rogers as a great mother, huge Wildcat fan and a woman dedicated to her religion.

"Robin was the kindest and most knowledgeable nurse we've encountered in 21 years," clinical nursing instructor Judy Nolen said.