Rachel Walker Dearth, Obituary – Rachel was born in Gaston County on March 6, 1943. Her parents, Carl D. Brady and Lola S. Brady, have since passed away. Rachel had already decided that she wanted to be a teacher by the time she was in the fifth grade. She was able to make that desire a reality by working as an English professor at the College of the Albemarle from 1964 to 1966 and at Wingate University from 1967 to 2008.
Rachel cherished her role as a teacher and her relationships with her students, but she was most devoted to her husband and children. She was just 18 years old when she tied the knot with the man who would become the love of her life, James R. Walker, whom she knew only as Jim. Rachel and Jim commemorated the occasion of their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary in the month of December 2021. Their lives were defined by the fact that they helped other people throughout the years.
Together, they served as youth directors at Mill Creek Baptist Church, were active participants in the Jaycees and Jaycettes organisations, and were Lions Club members in Unionville. Because of their passion for exploration, they have visited over 41 states and 20 countries. It’s amazing that Rachel managed to find even more ways to help others in her own community despite how busy she already was. She created a Vacation Bible School for youngsters in Union County who were diagnosed with special needs.
Both the Union Baptist Association and the North Carolina Lions Foundation District E had her compose their respective newsletters. She volunteered her time at a hospice for a total of three years, and she has spent over 25 years helping people who have vision problems. Rachel had a number of health issues for a period of time, but she never allowed them to prevent her from celebrating life, nor did she ever let circumstances to prevent her from encouraging others to do the same.
Despite this, she was always an inspiration to others. Always, she would say. Someone once said, “Life is a celebration, and all you have to do is wait for someone to light the candle!” She was consistent and faithful in her efforts to share the joy that was in her heart with her family and friends, encouraging them to take pleasure in all of God’s blessings, the life itself being the most priceless of all, apart from Jesus Christ