Remembering Kelsey

Kelsey Orndorff was on her way to a Christian concert featuring American Idol’s sixth season cast-off Chris Sligh at Fredericksburg Christian High School on Friday.

Today, the 17-year-old FCHS senior, who lived in Culpeper, was supposed to preach her first sermon — a full-length message at all three of the Culpeper United Methodist Church’s services — the church where her father, Randy Orndorff, is the pastor.

Instead, mourners held a candlelight vigil in her honor Saturday evening at Culpeper UMC on Oaklawn Drive to celebrate her young life that was cut short Friday evening after a head-on collision on Route 3 near Route 739 between York and Carrico Mills roads that killed her and seriously injured Culpeper resident Dr. James Bryon Cook.

The 58-year-old physician — who practices internal medical at Commonwealth Medical on Oaklawn Drive in Culpeper — is listed in serious condition at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, according to hospital spokeswoman Abena Foreman-Trice.

The miniature candles illuminated the dark sky in front of the church as grievers held the narrow molded masses of wax after the hour-long service.

More than 600 people squeezed inside the newly renovated sanctuary to share memories about Kelsey and comfort her family.

Her father, Randy Orndorff, thanked the audience for offering their sympathy and prayers during this difficult time for his grieving family.

“I know that the days that lie ahead of us that we’re going to need some time,” he said solemnly. “We’re going to need some time to get healed up and I know that tonight is a part of that process. Someway and somehow we’ll get through this storm.”

Orndorff said his daughter recently completed a two-week church mission this summer in Gatlinburg and Front Royal where she grew up.

“That was two of the best weeks she had this summer,” he said.

Kelsey’s next mission was to preach at her father’s church today.

“It was about trying to find the right time,” Orndorff told the parishioners. “It seemed like (today) would be that right time.”

Just like any doting father, Orndorff wanted to look over Kelsey’s sermon before today.

“She said ‘I’m not going to write it down, I’m just going to share it from my heart,” Orndorff said repeating his daughter’s words.

A community remembers
Meanwhile, Culpeper UMC youth director Janet Wilson consoled mourning teens as they sat in the pews wiping away their endless tears.

Coincidentally, Culpeper UMC member Wyatt “Butch” Mills Jr. — who suffered his own near death experience last summer — was next to lead a prayer for Kelsey.

Last year, while Mills sat in the ICU unit in U.Va. after being trapped in an 11-foot trench for five hours on Aug. 30, 2007, Orndorff led a candlelight prayer vigil at Floyd T. Binns Middle School for Mills and is family.

This time, it was Mills who delivered the sermon.

“Oh mighty God, we come to you in prayer and praise your mighty name,” Mills said. “We pray to you and we thank you for your spirit that you’ve given us.”

Mills shared his uncertainty about how the Culpeper community would make it through this tragedy.

“I just don’t know Lord,” he said. “That’s why we need each other and we need you, Lord.”

During Saturday’s prayer service, Culpeper UMC’s modern worship leader Dwight Parker led the audience in a spiritual rendition of “Praise you in the Storm,” one of Kelsey’s favorite songs.

Culpeper UMC member George Dasher reminded the audience to pray for Cook and his family as well as the Orndorff’s.

“I wanted to talk about the driver of the other car. He’s a much-loved man in this community and has served this community for a long time caring and healing and taking care of people. ” Dasher said.

“Tonight, he finds himself on the other side of that cure where he’s depending on a team of surgeons and physicians to take care of him.”

“He’s in very serious condition,” Dasher informed the parishioners. “His wife, Barbara, his brother, (and) his sons are at his bedside. They are caring for him. They need our prayers. They need our support.”

The wreck occurred around 5:50 p.m. Friday when Kelsey’s eastbound 2004 Dodge Intrepid ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected and came back across the double line, striking Dr. James Bryon Cook’s westbound 2002 Acura MDX sports utility vehicle, according to Virginia State Police Mike Woodard.

In December, Stevensburg resident Joanne Russell took her complaints about the dangerous curve on Route 3 near Route 739 where an increasing amount of wrecks occur including Friday’s deadly crash that killed Kelsey to the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors, according to the minutes.

Russell even requested that the Virginia Department of Transportation conduct a safety survey and that the State Police and Sheriff’s Office perform additional surveillance on that stretch of road to avoid future wrecks.

About Kelsey
Kelsey was a member of the national honor society, a volunteer for the Culpeper Free Clinic, co-president of the CUMC youth group, she was co-founder of the Satellite 29 Praise Band and she also wrote lyrics and loved to sing.

At school, she lettered in volleyball, basketball and soccer.

She served on nine different mission teams, was a member of the forensics league and participated in plays and dramas.

She loved to shop at American Eagle, eat Skittles and M&Ms, Subway sandwiches, to cheer for Duke University’s Blue Devils.

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or rsimmons@starexponent.com.

More memorials
A memorial service wil be held for Kelsey Orndorff at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Culpeper United Methodist Church.
A service of celebration will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Riverton Methodist Church in Front Royal.
Memorial contributions can be made to Culpeper United Methodist Church at 1233 Oaklawn Drive, Culpeper, Va. 22701.