Rachel, was born in Carrollton, Georgia on January 17, 1936 to Raymond and Geneva Gray. Rachel graduated from Roopville High School in 1955.
Rachel worked at Doctors Hospital. Beginning her career there, she worked as a Unit secretary until she accepted a position in medical records, coding doctor's orders. It was when she transferred to the Purchasing Department, where she received the most satisfaction and daily enjoyment meeting the needs of the nurses and doctors she worked with.
She retired from Doctors Hospital in the mid 1990's.
She enjoyed serving the Lord as a member of Bethesda Baptist Church since 2004. She loved her Sunday school class, and took great pleasure in the friendships created within the Bethesda family.
Rachel answered to many names, but Nana was her favorite. She loved her family, but cherished her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was expecting her first great- great-grandchild in January.
She enjoyed spending time with each of them. Vanilla Wafers was her cookie of choice to keep on hand ready to give her babies when they visited. As for her family, Nana, will always be remembered for her "smooth top" biscuits and being the "cornbread dressing queen". A position of honor fitting for our mother and Nana!
Rachel, and her traveling companion, Joan Smith, loved to keep their "travel bags" packed and ready for their next adventure.
Rachel's legacy lives on in the lives of her daughters, Vickie (Mike) Waites, Mary Anne (Dennis) Woyke, as well as her four grandchildren Angie (Keith) Everson, Michael "Buster" (Kristen) Waites, Steven (Emily) Woyke and Amy Woyke. She will be fondly remembered by her great grandchildren, Blake (Bekah) Everson, Alli Gray Everson, Lola Belle and Michael Waites.
She was preceded in death by her parents Raymond and Geneva Gray. Her sister, Rudene Walls Cook, and the father of her children, Franklin Lynn Lee.
The family will receive visitors on Friday, August 15th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary in Columbus, Georgia.
The funeral will be Saturday, August 16th at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary in Fisher Chapel at 11:00. Burial will take place 3:45 Saturday afternoon, Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery, Carrollton, Georgia.
Honorary pallbearers will be: Michael Waites, Jr (Buster), Steven Woyke, Keith Everson, Blake Everson, Joey Gibbs, Kenneth Dobbs, Jr (Kenny).
The family would like to sincerely thank the different individuals that ministered to her care from Orchard View Skilled Nursing Facility and Columbus Hospice.
