Rachel Ives Powell, 84, of Burgaw passed gently from her earthly life on Thursday, June 22, 2017 accompanied by angels to meet Jesus.

She was born March 18, 1933 in Maple Hill, the daughter of the late Francis Hibbs Ives and Louise Watson Ives Batts. Sisters, Mary Louise Brown and Pat Teachey; and brothers, Elmo, Earl and Marvin Ives all preceded Rachel in death.

Rachel is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert O. "Bobby" Powell; sons, Tim and wife Debbie, Gary and wife Dale, and Kent and wife Andrea; grandchildren, Slater and wife Michelle Powell and Bimini and her husband Keith Ketchum; great grandchildren, Valyn Powell, Lucia Ketchum, Catlin Stumpf, Amber Hall, Tabitha Hall, Carson Hall, Summer Gurganious, and Quinn Gurganious; sisters, Frances Maready and Jean Moss and husband Marvin; sister-in-law, Flora Lou Ives; brothers-in-law, Max Teachey and Gene Brown; many nieces, nephews and extended family.

She lived her entire life just outside the town of Burgaw. Her last days were spent under care at Stonebridge close to her two sons, Tim and Gary, in Hampstead. She repeatedly said she wanted to "follow those railroad tracks back to Calico Bay when she was able". She was profusely active in Friendly Community Church for many years and touched the lives of all, but especially the children for whom she always had a smile and a fix for any "boo-boos". One of the other important things in her life was gardening and she took pride in it. She enjoyed the beauty and satisfaction in seeing the results of her labor grow and come to fruition. She nurtured living things and helped to bring beauty and peace to the world. Her family was the real light of her life. Her love and caring for her family remained her focus till the very end. The family has comfort in knowing that her eternal mansion that was promised and prepared for her is waiting in heaven.

The family will receive friends at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw Chapel with service beginning at 11:00 a.m. The Rev. Tom Canady and The Rev. Bryan Griffith will conduct the service. Burial will follow in Burgaw Cemetery.

To everything there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. Ecclesiastes 3:1-6

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Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home of Burgaw.