Greenville, SC Memorial Service April 13, 2005

Services were held at the First Christian Fellowship Church with about 80 visitors. There were quite a few people from Advanced Automation where she worked, as well as many friends including over 20 bikers on that rainy day.

Rhiannon's friend, Wesley Posey officiated, and the following message was delivered:

I first met Rhiannon a few weeks after she started working at AA (Advanced Automation). We became very good friends in and out of work and talked about almost everything about our lives, friends, and family. She had everything, her own house, motorcycle, really nice car, friends, a new cat she was getting, and a brand new computer her mom was giving her.

Less than two weeks ago she sent me an email asking if I wanted to go see Constantine with her. I told her yes since I also had been anxious to see the movie. That Friday she sent me a text message around 5 telling me that she’s going home to change clothes, how long it will take her, what time the movie started, and what time I needed to come and pick her up. I replied “I like a woman that takes control”. That’s what I liked about her.

How many of you have seen Constantine? The following is taken from Warner Bros. synopsis of the movie:

John Constantine has been to hell and back. Born with a gift he didn’t want, the ability to clearly recognize the half-breed angels and demons that walk the earth in human skin, Constantine (Keanu Reeves) was driven to take his own life to escape the tormenting clarity of his vision. But he failed. Resuscitated against his will, he found himself cast back into the land of the living. Now, marked as an attempted suicide with a temporary lease on life, he patrols the earthly border between heaven and hell, hoping in vain to earn his way to salvation by sending the devil’s foot soldiers back to the depths.
He resented and hated God because he thought that it wouldn’t be enough to win a ticket to heaven, claming God was a hypocritical kid deciding on who goes up and who goes down with impossible rules. But he was missing the whole point all together. He didn’t see that God had a plan for him.

And as I stand here today, I’m telling you that God has a plan for Ms. Rhiannon Daugherty. A lot of people have asked me, "Why did she die so young? Why did God allow her to die?"

And I told them this. "Everyone is appointed to die, today or tomorrow. The exact time is unknown, and is affected directly and indirectly by our decisions."

It started all the way back at the beginning of Man, when both Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned. From that day, our bond with God was severed and we were sentenced to die (Genesis 3:19). But God soon sent his son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world. Jesus laid down his life so that we may have everlasting life. He remade the bond between Man and God through Him. Jesus said in the Bible (John 14:6) "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through me." He is our intercessor.

 God took Rhiannon for a reason. We'll never fully realize what reason that is until we also die, but I have already seen the fruits of it. People are getting saved, living for God, and renewing their faith in God because of her death. I don’t believe that it was chance that she wanted to see the movie Constantine with ME, considering the spiritual elements in the movie. We had talked so many times about Jesus and salvation. Her belief was that she didn’t think God would punish her for not doing the things Christians say you should do, like go to church, give tithes, and read your Bible. This movie challenged her previous beliefs. John Constantine didn’t understand that it takes more than what you do everyday. Going to church or reading your Bible does not grant you passage to Heaven. And neither does not doing those things automatically send you to Hell. People need to understand that it’s a lot more personal than that. You need to actively believe in Jesus Christ. Afterward I noticed she didn’t say anything about the spiritual side of the movie. She made comments on the visual aspects of the movie and how she was upset if they had hurt the cat in the movie. But as far as the spiritual side of the movie - with the showing of Heaven and Hell - I could see that it had affected her. Therefore I let the effect take it's toll and didn’t say anything.

I don’t want any of you here today to not know Christ before leaving this building. I’m not trying to push religion on anyone, but I want you to see the importance of the matter. Let Rhiannon's passing be a revelation to you that we are not promised tomorrow, or even another second. It’s a shame that we all have life insurance but fail to get eternity insurance. Rhiannon will be missed by us all.



Letters from Danita (her mom), Ryan (her roommate), and Advanced Automation were read, and then Rhiannon's dad came forward to read his letter as well. I don't think there was a dry eye in the church.

Rhiannon's sister, Miranda, had suggested everyone bring roses to lay at the crash site, and the idea took off. Over 15 dozen red roses were donated and after the service every person came up and took a rose to carry up to the site. They brought the flowers on the stands from the church, and everyone took their rose and laid it on the ground where she was found. It was very bittersweet.

You can see that this really wasn't a terrible place to leave the road - except for the hole. Had she lost control a split second either way, she would probably still be here with us today.

Before everyone left, Tim Reed from Advanced Automation spoke and told an analogy about how short Rhiannon's life was, and gave an invitation to everyone to seek a relationship with the Lord.

This picture gave me a start when I saw it. I had asked Rhiannon to come and visit me in my dreams to let me know she was OK and in the arms of our Lord. We were taking a picture of the bikes parked along the side of the road - but I see a big, smiling face in the image. I don't remember there being any "interference" in the picture being taken, and there was no "fog" in any of the other pictures.