Susan Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Hi everyone- Thank you so much for all of the condolences we have received- I wanted to post a copy of Rachels obit- as you will see she thouht so much of this group that her wish was for donations to be made the LCSC- Bless you all . Rachel Veilleux Stromme, of Ketchikan died peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on August 25th, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was 50 years young. Rachel was born on July 26, 1955 in Lewiston Maine to Norman and Madeline (Nadeau) Veilleux. She attended Lewiston schools and graduated in 1973 from The Hinckley School , Hinckley Maine. Having a sense of adventurer, she moved from Maine to Alaska in 1980 where she was able to experience life in the wilderness as a trail builder for the US Forest Service and a cook on the Boyer Towing tugs, as well as on the Alaska Range- Bonnefield for R.A.A Geology . It was cooking on the tugs and destiny where Rachel found her “True North” Stan Stromme. The tug she was cooking on in 1984 answered a distress call from another tug on which Stan was working that had gone aground on Ignace Island at Point San Rafael. They were married in Ketchikan on December 21, 1985. Rachel will be remembered by her friends and loved ones as a beautiful, sincere, outgoing, loving woman. They will remember her wonderful dinner parties with deliciously prepared meals, her generous hospitality, and her beautiful flower gardens. More than any other pastime she loved the time spent on the “Miss Claire” exploring Southeast with her “True North” and friends. Rachel was also known for her way with animals and along with Stan, raised three beautiful dogs, Balou, Akela and Ole, and a wonderful cat, Mama B. She was a person who listened with her heart, lived with compassion and followed her dreams. She will be sadly missed by all whose lives she has touched. Rachel is survived by her husband Stan of Ketchikan, parents Norman and Madeline Veilleux, brother Pierre Veilleux, sister Marie Murphy all of Lewiston, Maine , life long friend Susan Angelides Leeman, Ketchikan and thirteen nieces and nephews. A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held Bugge’s Beach on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 10 am. Followed with a potluck at Holy Family Church hall from 1:00 pm until 4:pm in Ketchikan, Alaska. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Lewiston Maine, place, date and time will be announced In lieu of flowers, Rachel requested that donations be sent to: Lung cancer Support Community PO Box 1205 Euless, TX 76039-1205 Or by logging on to: LCHelp.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 What a beautiful obituary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Oh, Susan...what a wonderful tribute to Rachel. It makes me think someone like you - a best friend - either wrote it or helped to write it. Rachel truly was as lovely inside as we all thought her to be, here. Thanks for posting this. She'll be missed all over the country and we lost her much too young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Oh a wonderful tribute! How loved she was and how her many attributes endeared her to those she knew as well as all of us here. How missed she will be . Thank you, Susan, for getting to know us. Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patkid Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Very touching. May she rest in peace. Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathy Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Beautiful Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted August 30, 2005 Author Share Posted August 30, 2005 Thank you Addie- yes I did write it and of course, hind sight is 20-20, there was so much more I could have said but I am just not thinking straight these days......I would like to post the picture that we ran with it but do not know how to post a photo...anyone...help....... Thank you all again (do I KEEP saying that......well, I mean it THANK YOU !!!!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Oh Susan, that really is a very touching obituary. Yet it still brings tears to my eyes as well. Rachel WILL me MISSED! I am so sorry that we all lost such a wonderful friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Oh Susan, thank you so much writing such a wonderful tribute to your best friend. My heart breaks for all her family and friends, as she was much too young but oh so couregeous. She certainly had a very interesting life and lived it to its fullest. I pray for peace for you and her family as there will always be that void and she will be missed so much. I know her presence here is missed as she was very active in helping people here. Thank you so much for posting her wonderful life. You were a wonderful friend to her, more like a sister. She was so lucky to have you and you were to have her. Maryanne Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail p-m Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Susan- Thank you for sharing Rachel's obituary. She was a truly beautiful person. I feel your loss. I'm so sorry. gail p-m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Very touching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 I'm so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinaresholz Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 Very sorry to hear about Rachel. Prayers for her family! Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 How very beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing this with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pammie Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 Thank you Susan. We all got to share just a bit of Rachel through your help. God bless you and the family. pammie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyn Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 What a beautiful tribute to Rachel. She certainly packed alot of living into 50 years.... what an adventurous woman... May she rest peacefully... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie221 Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Susan, What a beautiful tribute of friendship and love. You may feel you only touched the surface, but your description of Rachel makes her a very real, very likeable, very admirable human being. I wish had known her. Leslie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Very touching .... Heaven gained another Angel ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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