The friends and family of World Trade Center victim Rhondelle Cherie Tankard said their final farewells yesterday at a music-filled service to celebrate her life.

Hundreds of mourners packed into St. Paul's A.M.E. Church on Court Street for the three-hour celebration which chronicled her life from the day she was born until the day she died.

And although there were many tears shed in the emotional send-off, there was much rejoicing too.

The sounds of many of Bermuda's gospel choirs filled the streets in the surrounding area as the people who had loved her marked her passing in the only way she would have wanted - with music.

But, sadly, one person missing from the memorial service was her grandmother Gloria Bean, who had been devoted to Rhondelle and had brought her up from being a baby.

In a devastating twist of fate, she died in the early hours of Thursday - just three days before the family was to finally let go of their beloved Rhondelle.

The family is now planning a second service later in the week to mark the life of her grandmother, who lived with Rhondelle in Cedar Park, Devonshire.

Talented singer and musician Rhondelle, 31, lost her life with more than 3,000 others in the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11 this year.

An employee of Aon insurance company in Bermuda, she had begun a two-month secondment with the New York office just the day before tragedy struck.

For days, her family held out hope that Rhondelle would return safely to the Island, but eventually had to resign themselves to the fact that she was not coming home.

And yesterday they gathered to say their last goodbye, before going out on to Victoria Road in Hamilton to release two white doves as a signal of peace.

Mourners at the church heard how Rhondelle had sang from being a small child and had played an integral role in a number of church choirs across Bermuda, both directing the singers and writing her own songs.

Yesterday, they were all there to sing her praises and to mark her life, which had so obviously touched many.

And among the mourners were Government MPs, colleagues from Aon, school friends, as well as members of Boyd Gatton's family, the other Bermudian to die in the World Trade Center attacks.

A large photograph of Rhondelle stood at the front of the church as a sad reminder of Bermuda's loss, and alongside were candles and flowers, which had been sent by Aon.

And a number of Pastors, who had, at one time or another, included Rhondelle in their congregations, were there to lead the service and pay tribute.

They all remembered Rhondelle as a dedicated, committed church-goer, who worked tirelessly with her gospel choirs, making many friends along the way.

But they said although sweet in nature and kind of heart, she was a strong woman, who knew her mind and was never afraid to speak it.

One of her best friend's Judith Stovell said she took much comfort from the memories she had.

She spoke of the Rhondelle who wished to get married and someday have children, and of the Rhondelle who was a perfectionist and refused to give up until she had achieved her goal.

Highschool friends, work colleagues and family all spoke of the young woman who had been taken in her prime.

They remembered her love of shopping, her love for a joke, but above all, her love for her religion.

Her pastor at the time she died, Pastor Jimmy Denwiddie, of the New Creation Worship Centre, told how he spoke to Rhondelle on the day she arrived in New York, Sunday, September 9.

He said she was excited about her business secondment in Manhattan, and said he still remembered her laughing.

He said Rhondelle was like a daughter to him, and he had had great difficulty, at first, in understanding why she had died.

But he said people had to put their trust in God and live in the belief that they would be reunited with her again one day.

Among those people who spoke at the service were three of her colleagues from Aon.

Chairman of the Bermuda office Paul Markey said a a special committee at Aon set up to investigate ways to commemorate Rhondelle had decided to launch a scholarship in her memory for a Bermudian to follow an insurance career. A fundraising appeal is about to be launched with that aim.

And he said other commemorative ideas were being considered.

Her immediate boss Jonathan Griffiths, who shared an office with her, remembered Rhondelle's sense of humour. Even now, he said, he often turned around to talk to his colleague only to face the stark reality that she was no longer with him.

And Aon's vice president Jim Ansaldi was overcome with emotion when he told of the anguish he had felt after sending Rhondelle to New York for that ill-fated secondment.

He said he first met Rhondelle earlier this year when he asked her about her career goals. As a result of her ambition and talent, he said he spoke to the New York office and asked if she could train with them for a few weeks.

There she was sent, under the guidance of a tough New Yorker named Mary, who was to help her learn the business.

He said: "Now I have asked myself many times why did this happen and how could I have sent Rhondelle to this horrible fate. I stayed awake many nights blaming myself for what happened to Rhondelle.

"Finally, I met Rhondelle's mom Mrs. Burrows and she set me straight. She told me that I didn't control Rhondelle's fate - only God did. I must admit, I finally was able to sleep through the night after that conversation."

But Mr. Ansaldi said he still asked the question `why Rhondelle"? Then it dawned on him.

He added: "Mary and Rhondelle were about as different as two people could be, but the more I thought about their differences, the clearer it became.

"Although Mary was there for Rhondelle from a business aspect, I know in my heart that Rhondelle was there to help Mary during their final moments together."