Rachel Cook Garrison Morrah

Rachel Cook Garrison Morrah, 94, died peacefully on October 18, 2024 at Blakey Hall Retirement Community in Elon, NC.

Born in 1930 in Burlington, NC, daughter of the late Everett Ernest Garrison and Ruby Loy Garrison, Rachel was the youngest in her immediate family. Graduating from Elon College as a member of Beta Sigma Phi, she was on the Elon Student Council, and as an alumnus, a member of the class reunion committee. Rachel taught history in the Alamance County school system and while living in Pennsylvania, she taught elementary school.

She married Samuel Patrick Morrah III in 1956. Theirs was a loving and supportive partnership that embraced careers, rearing of their daughters, volunteering, and traveling together across the United States, Europe, and the Holy Land. One of her favorite places to visit in North Carolina was Jockey's Ridge in the Outer Banks. Rachel was a lifelong learner and teacher; an avid reader with keen intellect. She had a lively curiosity for world, state and family history, and throughout her life Rachel shared this rich appreciation with those around her.

Rachel was baptized as an infant at Front Street United Methodist Church in Burlington, earned a special Bible there for memorizing Scripture as a child, and she was married there. As an adult, she was an active member of her circle, attended Bible study classes, served on the Altar Guild, and worked with her husband Sam at Front Street's annual Buckner Mission Man Triathlon. Other church involvement over the years included teaching children's Sunday school and serving as a wedding director. She also was a long-time volunteer at the Burlington Women's Club Thrift Store.

As a Christian with a steadfast faith, Rachel made it a priority in the home to teach her children Bible stories and take them to Sunday School and church. On many occasions she could be heard singing hymns in the family home. Throughout all her life she exhibited gratitude to God for the beauty in nature and a deep love for her daughters that they will always treasure. Rachel's nature and her joy was to nurture the young and help them grow. She rose to meet her family's needs under every circumstance, never hesitating. Rachel cherished and was cherished by her lifelong friends and neighbors. Her trademark sense of humor and laser wit surprised and delighted all who knew her well.

Her instincts in plant care were exquisite. Rachel could coax abundant blossoms from the least likely stem. Wherever she lived over the years, from Burlington to Green Cove Springs, FL to Greensboro to Pottstown, PA to Morganton and back to Burlington, her home and gardens reflected this with seasonal beauty, from specimen camellias to deck geraniums to elegant gardenias. Family and friends usually concluded a visit with offers of freshly cut blossoms. She was an excellent cook, and taught her daughters to cook well. She enjoyed providing healthy and nourishing meals and special desserts for her family. When her grandchildren visited, she loved providing plenty of homemade cookies, playing board games with them, and taking them on shopping trips to the mall.

Rachel was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 65 years, Samuel Patrick Morrah III, sister Rebecca G. McAdams, and brother Robert E. Garrison.

She is survived by daughters Katherine M. Carl (Clyde) of Raleigh, Cynthia M. Yancey (Jeff) of Durham, Jennifer M. Mauch of Burlington, and Elizabeth M. Angell (Chris) of Cary, as well as grandchildren Sam Yancey, Todd Yancey, Alex Carl, Ben Carl, Caroline Mauch Carlson, Christopher Mauch, Kristen Angell and William Angell, all of whom brought her joy; five great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Bonnie W. Morrah of Greensboro, and much-loved nieces and nephews.

The family thanks the staff at Blakey Hall Retirement Community for their loving and gracious care of Rachel in the past years and the nursing staff and care team at AuthoraCare Hospice of Burlington.

Services will be held at Front Street United Methodist Church in Burlington on October 22, 2024 at 1:00 pm, with the family receiving visitors in the Heritage Center at Front Street 30 minutes prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Front Street United Methodist Church with special designations to Methodist Home for Children, 136 S. Fisher Street, Burlington, NC 27215.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord,

for he has been good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6

Arrangements by Rich and Thompson www.richandthompson.com

LINKS

Rich and Thompson Funeral Service

Greensboro News & Record

http://www.citizen-times.com/sentinel