Rachel Olive
Murray passed away peacefully in the
Sackville Memorial Hospital with her loving daughters by her side on
Saturday July 25, 2015 after a brief but courageous and inspiring
battle with pneumonia.
She was born on November
13, 1932 as the first daughter to Raymond and Alice (Anderson)
Hicks.
In her younger years, she overcame
health problems and went on to work at the family restaurant across
from the Sackville Via Rail Station. In her late teens she
attended Mount Allison Women's Academy before she met the love of her
life, Lysle Murray.
When they met, Lysle was a
milkman but he soon got a better job at NBTel where he worked for
thirty-six years. Over that time period, Lysle and Rachel worked to
provide a great life for their three children. Rachel worked
at Versa Foods in the Tantramar High School Cafeteria from 1975 -1985
and she was an excellent home cook who hosted countless family dinners
over the years.
She was an expert knitter who
created hundreds of mittens, scarves and hats for her children,
grandchildren, great-grandkids, nieces and nephews.
Her loyalty and kindness extended outside her family to her
neighbors and friends alike. She volunteered many hours with
the Sackville Fire Department's Women's Auxiliary overseeing weekly
bingo and working on other social events.
Rachel also helped her husband Lysle with UNICEF work and
Muscular Dystrophy Campaigns.
Rachel was a true
angel among us who made all of our lives better with her unwavering
love and human kindness. The sadness of her loss will
eventually give way to the fond memories of our time spent with
her.
She will be sadly missed by her daughters,
Debbie (Leonard) Manderson, Lake George, NB, Brenda (Glen) MacKenzie,
Sackville; a son, Douglas, Sackville; five grandchildren, Jeff
Manderson, Jason Manderson, Erica Cairns, Natasha Gallant and Sarah
Healey; twelve great grandchildren; a brother, William (Marilyn)
Hicks, Fredericton; a sister, Sandra (Bruce) Barnhill, Sackville, and
sisters-in-law, Donna Gaudet, Dieppe, Cora Parker, Moncton and Joy
Bubar, Hamilton, ON, as well as many loving nieces and
nephews. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her
husband Lysle in 2000 and an infant daughter Sharon in 1954.
Arrangements are under the care and supervision of
Jones Funeral Home, 70 Bridge Street, Sackville (506-364-1300) from
where visitation will be held 2-4 & 7-9 pm on Monday, July 27,
2015. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on
Tuesday, July 28, 2015 at 1 pm. William Drysdale DLM
officiating. Following the service, Rachel will be laid to
rest with Lysle in the Sackville Cemetery.
Sincere gratitude is extended by the family on behalf
of Rachel to Louise Estabrooks, Jennifer Johnson and Cheryl Phinney
for their dedication and compassionate care.
Donations in memory of Rachel may be made to the Tantramar Extra
Mural or a charity of the donor's choice.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting Rachel's
online memorial at
www.jonesfuneralhome.ca or through the
funeral home Facebook page.