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Candles and flowers along State Route 3 near Culpeper mark the site of the crash that killed Kelsey Orndorff.
PETER CIHELKA/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

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Culpeper accident takes life of teen

Kelsey Orndorff, a teen killed in Culpeper, described as "a great Christian"

Date published: 9/2/2008

By COREY BYERS

In some of the last words he would ever say to his daughter, Rev. James Randall Orndorff told his 17 year-old, Kelsey, how proud he was of her.

On Friday, Kelsey Jean-Marie Orndorff of Culpeper was killed in a two-car collision on State Route 3 in Culpeper County, according to State Police.

According to a witness, Dr. James Cook, who practices in Culpeper, was in the other vehicle and was airlifted from the scene.

This was Kelsey's second and senior year at Fredericksburg Christian High School.

"I've been crying so much I don't feel like I have anything left," her father said yesterday.

He said the family is making it through the loss with friends and faith. James "Randy" Orndorff serves as the pastor at Culpeper United Methodist Church.

Orndorff described his daughter as a straight-A, deeply faithful and funny student trying to get into Duke University or the University of Virginia. The National Honor Society member considered studying physical therapy in college and recently toured Duke.

In describing the nine mission trips she'd been on over the years, Orndorff said Kelsey's goal "was to just really help others."

She was even planning to preach at her father's church. The theme was going to explore having passion for Christ.

"That was her big thing, having passion and not being apathetic about your faith--practicing what you preach--and she did."

Kelsey stayed busy with advanced coursework, volleyball, basketball and soccer.

Among many extracurricular activities, she was co-president of the Culpeper United Methodist Church Youth Group, was a founding member of a praise band and volunteered at the Culpeper Free Clinic.

The high school's Athletic Director Doug Taylor called Kelsey a "sweet, sweet young lady" and a "spunky athlete."

Fredericksburg Christian High School senior class president Annie Vance, 17, said Kelsey was on her way to a concert by "American Idol" finalist Chris Sligh at the school on the night of the accident.

Vance said Kelsey's close friends have been taking the news of her death very hard, but that the senior class of more than 80 students has been "really united."

She recalled when Kelsey first caught her classmates' attention.


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Date published: 9/2/2008


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