Rachel Ellsworth

September 16, 1930 – June 10, 2020

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

Rachel was born September 16, 1930 in Cadillac, Michigan (Wexford County). Her parents were Pearl Robert McLain and Elena Levina Baker. She had seven siblings: John, Raymond, Earnest, Mildred, Berthia, Helen and Edna.

She graduated from Mesick High School in March 1948. After graduation, Rachel went to work at a diner. After she got married she worked for AC Sparkplug until the children came along, after that she was a stay-at-home mom.

She married Forrest Lyle Ellsworth in Cadillac, Michigan (Wexford county) on October 18, 1952 (she was 22 years old) at First Baptist Church. In 1953 they moved to Flint where they built a house, a home and a family together. They lived there until they joined New Tribes Missions. Forrest and Rachel had four children: Norm (1954), Sue (1958), Bruce (1964), Brian (1964).

Rachel put her faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in June of 1965 through a church VBS follow up visit to their home by the pastor and a deacon (she was 35 years old). She was baptized in 1966 along with Forrest and the two oldest kids, Norm and Sue. She loved serving the Lord and those around her. She recently said “you don’t never retire from serving the Lord”. She also found delight in God’s unexpected blessings. She might say “look at what the Lord provided for us today” or “You just never know what the Lord has in his plans for you.” Even at the very end when life was so hard she said “I just keep praising the Lord, he has done so much for me.” After meeting Pastor Ralph Davidson; she and Forrest helped to start Calvary Bible Church and Rachel served as a Sunday School teacher until they joined New Tribes Mission (now known as Ethnos360)

Rachel served for 18 ½ years with the mission (1979-1997). She did office work, answered phones, helped students find employment, and helped in the kitchen.

Dec 1979 – Dec 1986 Waukesha Bible school in Wisconsin

Jan 1987 – summer 1994 – Jackson Bible school in Michigan

Summer 1994 – 1997–Latham Center in Sanford Florida

She became a second mother to so many students who passed through the Bible schools and she continued to pray for those special students as they went on in the mission to work in fields around the world. She also continued to volunteer for years after she officially retired.

She died Wednesday morning, June 10, 2020, in Sierra Vista, Arizona (Cochise County) less than six month after the passing of her beloved husband, Forrest. She was 89 years old. She is survived by her four children: Norm, Sue, Bruce and Brian, 10 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.

In Lieu of flowers gifts can be sent to Ethnos360 312 W. First St. Sanford, FL 32771

For the translation of the Palaka Bible, Ivory Coast, West Africa