Rachel Futrell Swindell, age 84 and a resident of 430 Craven Street, Bath, NC, passed away Saturday, July 28, 2012. A celebration service will be held on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 3:00 PM at the Bath Christian Church where she was a member. The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall immediately following the service.
Rachel was born in Northampton County on December 6, 1927, the daughter of the late Ethel Conner and Luther Edward Futrell. She married Jack E. Swindell on December 26, 1948 who preceded her in death on November 22, 1988. She is survived by her son Ed Swindell and wife Jaquelin of Goldsboro and her daughter Beth Swindell Niser and her husband Harry of Bath. She is also survived by her grandchildren Josh Swindell and his wife Erin of Raleigh, Sarah Bateman Forehand and her husband Brian of Wilmington, Amanda Swindell Powell and her husband Ken of Raleigh, Laura Bateman Bonnett and her husband Jamie of Kill Devil Hills, and Kristin Niser Dippy and her husband Nathan of Jacksonville, FL and 6 great-grandchildren.
Rachel graduated from East Carolina Teachers College (ECU) in 1948 and served as a vocational home economics teacher at Bath High School for 35 years. For 20 years during her teaching career she was a classroom student teacher supervisor for the ECU School of Home Economics. She was a Region 1 adviser for the Future Homemakers of America and in 1983 received the North Carolina State FHA Adviser Award. She was a charter member of the Alpha Omega Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Teacher Sorority and was recently honored for her 50 years of membership. She also was a member of the Colonial Book Club of Bath for many years. She was an active member of the Beaufort County Mental Health Association and in 2001 received the President’s Award. She was a longtime volunteer with The Blind Center. She spent countless hours of volunteer work for charities such as the Easter Seals, Heart Fund, Operation Santa and cancer drives.
To the community and those that knew her, she will be best remembered in that her living exemplified the nine fruits of the Spirit as referenced in Galatians 5:22 in the Holy Bible which are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Memorials may be made to the Bath Christian Church, Post Office Box 300, Bath, NC 27808 or the Bath Community Library, 100 Carteret Street, Bath, NC 27808.
Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.
Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Swindell family.