Charles John Rijneveld

Charles John Rijneveld, age 41, Born Monday August 24, 1981, in Atlanta, Georgia, passed away on Thursday December 22, 2022 at his home in Columbia, South Carolina.

Memorial Service is scheduled for 2:00 pm Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Memorial Park Riverside Chapel.

He is survived by his parents, Nancy and Hervé from Gainesville Georgia; sister, Christina (husband Patrick) in Georgia; twin brother, James and niece, Isabelle from Woodstock Ontario; loving aunts, uncles and cousins from Georgia, France, and Holland.

Charles had a big heart and kind soul, and intuitively connected with people and animals alike. He and his twin brother James were born prematurely, and Charles battled to survive in the NIC unit. Patient and non-fussy as an infant, he grew into a good-natured, sweet, and carefree boy with many interests including airplanes, roller skating, and Braves baseball. He was also adept and able to quickly figure things out, from model building to electronics. Charles was athletic and competitive in sports such as swimming, soccer, tennis, and excelled in baseball during his years at Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia. He used his fighting spirit to prove himself with an additional tryout from Coach Hugh Buchanan to make the varsity baseball team and played until he graduated in 2000.

He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Logistics from Georgia Southern University in 2005.

Charles had many friends in school and at work. Once he became your friend it lasted a lifetime. He was well liked by so many because he made those around him feel at ease with his humor and kind empathy. He’d give the shirt off his back to anyone in need.

After a brief stint in the corporate world, he stepped away to care for his grandmother during the last 4 years of her life. This was a labor of love for his “Mema” that influenced him tremendously and was the ultimate expression of his capacity for caring and empathy. Charles was always the one to fight for someone who was struggling or experiencing adversity, and this spilled over to any living creature.

After his grandmother’s death, Charles moved to Charleston, South Carolina to resume his career. He had many happy years working for Sherwin Williams and made numerous lifelong friends.

Charles had an uncanny connection to animals, and he loved dogs in particular.

To honor his memory, in lieu of flowers please donate in Charles’ name to your local Humane Society.

Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel 989 Riverside Drive Gainesville, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com

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