Rebecca Lynn Giarratano

She was born in Independence, Missouri in February 1951 to parents Rachel and Gregory Prichard, which she shared with two older siblings, Nancy and Andy.

Rebecca’s father was a contract worker for the military, which resulted in the family moving around a lot as Gregory moved from one assignment to the next. Sometimes, they would be in one place for only 3 months before packing up and heading off to the next adventure. Because of this, Rebecca had a unique opportunity to get to meet many different people from many different backgrounds, yet never once meeting a stranger. Thanks to her father’s career, Rebecca attended no fewer than 12 different high schools. She graduated in Los Angeles, California and always felt as if that was home.

As an adult, Rebecca held a variety of jobs. Like her father, she enjoyed moving from one assignment to the next, meeting new people, learning new things, and leaving a little bit of her special light along the way as she went. Over her life, she worked as an office administrator in a vast number of fields. She was an art teacher. She served as a prayer associate in the Silent Unity Prayer Ministry. She was incredibly creative and had a deep love for crafting and DIY projects. For many years she worked the craft circuit and even owned her own shop: Gift Peddlers.

Rebecca left her mark wherever she went. She was an incredibly generous person, and acts of service were her love language. She was passionate about philanthropy and initiated dozens of campaigns at her various places of employment: food drives, coat drives, clothing drives, toy drives, pet supply drives, dozens of family “adoptions” during the holiday seasons, even rallying fellow employees to assist coworkers that could use a little support. She shared herself, her love, and her light in all places and with all people.

Rebecca is survived by her daughters Heather, Michelle, and Lisa.

Rather than flowers, please consider making a donation to the Saving Huey Foundation – a small non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers that provides care and rehabilitation for animals that are victims of severe abuse. The story of Huey touched Rebecca’s heart deeply and contributions in her honor would be the most perfect way to remember her. For your convenience, the link to their website is included here.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Friday April 3rd, 2026 and will be in two parts.

Part One: A traditional Celebration of Life to be held at Newcomer’s Noland Road Chapel in Independence, Missouri from 4:00pm to 6:00pm

Part Two: Karaoke at Erin’s Pub in Independence, Missouri from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Because the only proper way to close out the celebration for Rebecca is with singing and dancing.

Newcomer’s Noland Road Chapel

509 S Noland Road

Independence, Missouri 64050

Erin’s Pub

3010 Route 291

Independence, Missouri 64057